ABSTRACT
Plants depend on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and the soil's humus is rich in these elements. "Humus is what's left of organic matter after it has been broken down by the billions of big and small organisms that inhabit a spoonful of earth." An ecosystem naturally maintains the humus required by plants. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient for plant growth, but plants can only use nitrogen that is fixed by bacteria. Legumes form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen fixing bacteria. In exchange for some nitrogen, the bacteria receive from the plants carbohydrates and special structures in roots where they can exist in a moist environment. The law should ensure that the poor have access to financial capital at fair interest rates and are able to exercise their civil right to participate in local economic decisions. This enables them to use land and water in sustainable agriculture to produce the food they need.
