21-July-2025 Daily Answer Writing

Introduction

Soil health is the cornerstone of agricultural productivity and food security in India. In recent years, concerns over soil degradation have grown acute, with substantial implications for both crop yield and human nutrition.

Status and Challenges of Soil Health in India

• Widespread Degradation: About 30–33% of India’s soils suffer from degradation due to erosion, salinity, nutrient depletion, and loss of organic matter, affecting nearly 120 million hectares.
• Nutrient Deficiencies: Over 70% of Indian soils are deficient in key nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic carbon as well as micronutrients such as zinc and boron.
• Imbalanced Fertilizer Use: Excessive application of urea and other nitrogen-rich fertilizers has led to a skewed N:P:K ratio, which impairs soil quality and crop nutrition.
• Low Organic Content: The average soil organic carbon is just 0.54%, far below the optimal level for sustaining soil fertility.
• Erosion and Salinization: Annual soil loss through erosion exceeds billions of tonnes, while improper irrigation practices lead to rising salinity, particularly in arid and semi-arid zones.

Consequences of Soil Degradation

• Reduced Crop Productivity: Nutrient-poor soils are less productive, threatening food and livelihood security.
• Nutritional Deficiency: Crops grown on degraded soils have lower nutrient content, contributing to malnutrition in humans.
• Environmental Impact: Soil degradation aggravates water scarcity, increases greenhouse gas emissions, and accelerates land desertification.

Science-Based Measures for Improvement

• Integrated Nutrient Management: Encourage balanced use of chemical fertilizers combined with organic manure and biofertilizers.
• Soil Health Card Scheme: Scale up soil testing to guide fertilizer application as per location-specific deficiency.
• Agroecological Practices: Promote crop rotation, cover cropping, reduced tillage, and green manuring to restore soil health.
• Farmer Awareness: Invest in capacity building and outreach for sustainable soil management.

Conclusion

Restoring India’s soil health demands a shift towards tailored, science-based nutrition management. By adopting holistic and sustainable practices, India can secure agricultural prosperity and improve national nutrition outcomes for the future.