December 5, 2024, marked the 10th World Soil Day, with the theme “Caring for Soils – Measure, Monitor, and Manage.”

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About World Soil Day

• Proposed By: The idea for an international day to celebrate soil was proposed by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002.
• Key Institutions : Led by the Kingdom of Thailand and supported by the Global Soil Partnership framework, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) played a pivotal role in formally establishing World Soil Day (WSD).
• Formal Establishment of World Soil Day: The FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly.
• Official Recognition of World Soil Day: In December 2013, the UN General Assembly designated 5 December 2014 as the first official World Soil Day.

Soil Health Crisis in India

• According to recent estimates, nearly 115 to 120 million hectares (Mha) i.e. roughly 33% of the country’s total geographic area (TGA) is affected by soil degradation, including water erosion, wind erosion, salinity, and vegetation loss.
• Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India (Space Applications Centre Report)

• • Land degradation and desertification in the country has been estimated to be 97.84 million hectares in 2018-19.
  • Water Erosion as the Major Contributor: Water erosion is the most significant cause of land degradation, affecting 11.01% of India’s land area.
  • Other Major Degradation Processes
    • Vegetation degradation: 9.15% of land affected.
    • Wind erosion: 5.46% of land affected.

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Challenges to Soil Health In India

• Nutrient Deficiency: 
  • Nitrogen Deficiency: Less than 5% of Indian soils have sufficient nitrogen.
  • Phosphate Deficiency: Only 40% of soils have sufficient phosphate.
  • Potash Deficiency: 32% of soils are adequate in potash.
  • Organic Carbon Deficiency: Just 20% of soils have sufficient organic carbon.
  • Micronutrient Deficiencies: Soils also suffer from moderate to severe deficiencies in micronutrients like sulfur, iron, zinc, and boron.
• Soil Degradation:
  • Erosion:  Water Erosion is the most widespread form of degradation and occurs widely in all agroclimatic zones of India.
    • Wind erosion basically involves displacement of soil particles by the action of wind. 
    • Accelerating Factors: Intensive farming practices, deforestation, and rapid urbanization contribute significantly to soil erosion. 
  • Loss of Organic Matter: Excessive use of chemical fertilizers depletes organic content, reducing soil fertility.
  • Acid Soils: These soils develop in humid and per-humid areas due to excessive leaching of cations with high rainfall, resulting in lowering of pH and loss of soil fertility.
• Pollution:
  • Agrochemicals: Overuse of Chemical Fertilisers and Pesticides without considering long-term soil health, driven by the need for higher yields, has degraded soil quality by disrupting its natural nutrient balance and harming beneficial soil organisms.
  • Industrial Effluents: Toxic pollutants from industries degrade soil quality.
• Climate Change:
  • Altered Rainfall Patterns: Increased erosion and waterlogging reduce soil fertility.
  • Temperature Extremes: Impact microbial activity, crucial for nutrient cycling.
• Overexploitation:
  • Monocropping: Monoculture refers to the practice of growing the same crop year after year.
    • Reduces biodiversity and depletes specific nutrients.
  • Overgrazing: Compacts soil and leads to loss of vegetative cover.
  • Over Extraction of Groundwater: Over-extraction of groundwater and unsustainable irrigation practices has led to soil salinisation, reducing the land’s fertility.
• Socio Economic Changes: 
  • Land Fragmentation: The increase in land fragmentation, driven by inheritance laws and population pressures, makes it difficult for farmers to invest in soil health, as they lack economies of scale and access to capital for sustainable practices.
  • Urbanisation and Land Use Changes: Rapid urbanisation is leading to the conversion of agricultural lands into urban areas, reducing the availability of fertile land. 
    • This change disrupts traditional farming systems and leads to the loss of soil health in former agricultural zones.
    • Examples: Conversion of agricultural land for mining and industrial purposes, leads to soil degradation and the creation of wastelands, making soil regeneration challenging.
• Lack of Awareness: Limited access to education, resources, and technology in rural areas prevents farmers from adopting soil conservation practices, further degrading the soil.

Role of Fertiliser Industry In The Soil Health and Agricultural Productivity of India

• The fertiliser industry plays a critical role in providing essential nutrients like nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), potash (K), and micronutrients, ensuring higher agricultural productivity.
• Nutrients are either produced domestically or imported and distributed to farmers on time.
• India is the world’s largest exporter of rice.
• From 2020-21 to 2022-23, India exported about 85 million tonnes of cereals, despite providing nearly free rice and wheat to over 813 million people.

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Challenges Arising In the Fertiliser Sector

• Subsidisation:
  • The country’s fertiliser subsidy budget for the FY’ 2023–24 is Rs. 175103 Crores 
  • The fertilizer sector is heavily subsidised, amounting to Rs 1.88 lakh crore, nearly 4% of the Union budget.
  • Urea, subsidized by two-thirds, remains the cheapest in the world, which has remained constant for over a decade.
• Imbalanced Fertiliser Use: Heavy Subsidisation of Fertilisers  has led to imbalanced usage of fertilisers, especially in major agricultural states like Punjab and Telangana, where nitrogen (N) is overused and phosphorus (P) and potash (K) are underused.
  • Overuse of nitrogen (N) and underuse of potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) result in suboptimal crop yields.
• Impact of Fertiliser Mismanagement
  • Pollution: Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) is only 35-40%, with excess nitrogen turning into harmful nitrous oxide, contributing to atmospheric pollution.
  • Diversions and Leakages: Around 20-25% of urea is diverted to non-agricultural uses or leaks to neighboring countries.
• Health Hazards:
  • Nitrate contamination from excessive fertiliser use poses a significant challenge, leading to health issues like “blue baby syndrome,” a condition affecting infants due to the ingestion of water contaminated with high levels of nitrates.

Steps taken by the Government To Improve Soil Health

• Reclamation of Problem Soils (RPS): The Government under Reclamation of Problem Soils (RPS), a sub-scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), is providing assistance for reclamation of lands affected by alkalinity, salinity and acidity.
• Soil Health Card Scheme: Soil Health Card (SHC) is a printed report which contains nutrient status of soil with respect to 12 nutrients: pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulphur (S), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn) and Copper (Cu) of farm holdings.
  • According to the National Productivity Council (NPC), the Soil Health Card scheme has led to a decline of 8-10% in the use of chemical fertilisers and also increased productivity by 5-6%.
• Neem Coating of Urea (NCU): The Department of Fertilizers (DoF) has mandated that all domestic urea production must be 100% Neem Coated Urea (NCU).
  • Benefits of NCU:
    • Enhances soil health and boosts nitrogen use efficiency (NUE).
    • Reduces the need for plant protection chemicals and pest attacks.
    • Minimises diversion for non-agricultural purposes.
    • Ensures slower nitrogen release, resulting in reduced fertiliser consumption.
• Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme: The NBS scheme was introduced to ensure a balanced and efficient use of fertilizers by providing subsidies based on the actual nutrient content rather than the price of the fertiliser.
  • The scheme aims to promote balanced fertilizer use, enhance agricultural productivity, support the indigenous fertilizer industry, and reduce subsidy burden.
• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) promotes organic farming to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
  • This approach encourages natural replenishment of soil nutrients and organic matter, ultimately fostering healthier soil.
• Initiatives by ICAR: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has developed location specific bio-engineering soil & water conservation measures, watershed management interventions, soil reclamation measures for saline, alkali, waterlogged and acid soils, selection of suitable crops including agroforestry interventions to prevent and manage land degradation.
• One Nation, One Fertiliser Scheme: All subsidised soil nutrients such as urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MoP), and NPK will be marketed under the single brand Bharat across the nation.
  • With the launch of this scheme, India will have a common bag design across the country like Bharat urea, Bharat DAP, Bharat MOP, Bharat NPK, etc

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Way Forward

• Fertilisers: 
  • Deregulation of Fertiliser Prices: The fertiliser sector should be deregulated from price controls, similar to sectors like cement and diesel.
    • This would drive innovation, increase efficiency, and ensure better nutrient balance (N, P, K) usage.

• • Direct Income Transfers to Farmers: Farmers could receive digital coupons as direct income transfers to purchase fertilizers.
    • This would empower farmers to choose fertilisers based on need and promote balanced use.
  • Use of AgriStack For Balanced Fertiliser Use: Encourage balanced application of N, P, and K  by using Agri Stack, a digital platform to integrate stakeholders and improve agricultural outcomes. 
• Sustainable Agricultural Practices: 
  • Farming Practices: Promote organic and regenerative farming methods alongside chemical fertilisers to ensure long-term soil health.
    • Invest in research and extension services to help farmers transition to more sustainable practices.
    • Promotion of Micro-Nutrients: Encourage the use of micro-nutrients to improve soil health, productivity, and farmers’ profits.Use of Agricultural Waste: Promote the use of crop residues, farmyard manure, and other organic waste as soil amendments to enhance soil organic content and structure.
  • Nutrient circularity: It refers to the process of collecting, processing, and returning nutrients from urban organic waste back into agricultural soil.
    • This strategy addresses both soil nutrient replenishment and waste management.
  • Minimal Tillage: Promote minimal tillage practices that preserve soil structure, reduce erosion, and increase organic matter.
  • Crop Rotation and Diversification: Advocate for crop rotation and intercropping to break pest cycles, reduce soil degradation, and improve soil fertility.
  • Drip Irrigation and Rainwater Harvesting: Encourage efficient water use through drip irrigation systems and rainwater harvesting to prevent waterlogging and soil salinization.
  • Reduce Over-extraction: Regulate groundwater extraction to prevent soil compaction and salinity buildup.
• Addressing Soil Erosion:
  • Erosion Control Measures: Implement soil conservation techniques such as terracing, windbreaks, and check dams to prevent soil erosion, particularly in vulnerable regions.
  • Afforestation and Agroforestry: Promote afforestation and agroforestry practices to reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and enhance biodiversity.

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Conclusion

• Soil health is crucial for enhancing agricultural productivity, achieving food security, and promoting sustainable farming practices. 
• Achieving sustainable soil management in India requires coordinated reforms in fertiliser usage, technology integration, and farmer-focused policies.

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