Plant nutrition and health effects of vegetables grown on contaminated soils – lessons from Sub Saharan Africa: a review
Bal Ram Singh
Soils in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are central to both agricultural productivity and human nutrition, yet increasing contamination from mining activities, wastewater irrigation, and agrochemical inputs has intensified the accumulation of toxic trace elements in food crops. This review synthesizes current evidence on the soil–plant–human transfer of toxic elements alongside essential nutrients, highlighting the inherent trade-offs between food safety and nutrition security in SSA. Drawing on inter