India has moved from food aid dependency to becoming a top rice exporter with massive food distribution coverage. Yet, malnutrition persists—driven by degraded soils and fertilizer misuse—highlighting the urgent need for soil-focused nutrition reforms.

• Marking 10 years in 2025, the Soil Health Card Scheme has empowered farmers with tailored nutrient advice, improving soil fertility through a standardized, multilingual digital platform across India.

About Soil-Focused Nutrition Reforms

• Refers: Soil-focused nutrition reforms are a set of integrated agricultural practices and policy initiatives that aim to revive soil health to ensure the production of nutrient-rich food. 
• Focus: These reforms shift the focus from yield maximization to nutrition-sensitive agriculture, recognizing that “Soil Health is Public Health.”

Concerning Data on Indian Soil Health

• Soil Degradation Extent: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) estimates that 37% of India’s land is affected by various forms of degradation, including erosion, soil acidity, and salinity.
  • Overall Degradation: According to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India (SAC 2021), the current extent of land degradation in India is 97.85 million hectares (approximately 29.77% of the country’s total geographical area). 
  • Soil Loss: India loses an estimated 5.3 billion tons of soil annually due to water and wind erosion, severely impacting crop productivity.
• Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Levels: Drastically declined from 1% to as low as 0.3% in the past 70 years.
  • SOC refers to the carbon stored within soil organic matter, which typically comprises around 58% carbon.
  • Deficiency: About half of India’s cultivable land is deficient in SOC.
  • State-Specific Concerns: In states like Punjab, often considered the granary of India due to intensive farming, only 6.9% of soils had high organic carbon, and this percentage has further declined.
  • Ideal vs. Actual: While the Indian Institute of Soil Science (IISS) suggests 0.5-0.75% SOC as adequate, World Food Laureate Rattan Lal advocates for 1.5-2% as ideal, highlighting the significant gap in most Indian soils.
• Imbalanced Fertiliser Use Worsens Soil Health:  The overuse of nitrogen and underuse of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) is a major concern.
  • Punjab: 61% nitrogen overuse, 89% potassium underuse
  • Telangana: 54% nitrogen overuse, 82% potassium underuse
  • This imbalance has led to a drastic fall in the fertiliser-to-grain response ratio — from 1:10 in the 1970s to 1:2.7 in 2015.
  • Environmental Consequences of Nitrogen Overuse: Only 35–40% of nitrogen from granular urea is absorbed by crops. The rest causes:
    • Emission of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 273 times more potent than CO₂
    • Groundwater contamination via nitrate leaching
    • Diversion and smuggling of subsidized urea
  • Micronutrient Deficiencies: A comprehensive study of over 240,000 soil samples across 615 districts and 28 states revealed widespread deficiencies of sulfur (S) and micronutrients.
    • Deficiencies of Sulfur (S), Zinc (Zn), and Boron (B) were higher compared to Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), and Manganese (Mn).
    • Average deficiencies across India:
      • Zinc (Zn): 36.5% to 49% of soils (making it the most prominent micronutrient deficiency)
      • Boron (B): 24.2% to 33% of soils
      • Iron (Fe): 12.8% of soils
      • Manganese (Mn): 7.1% of soils
      • Copper (Cu): 4.2% of soils
      • Molybdenum (Mo): 11-15% of soils
  • Multi-nutrient deficiencies are also common, with occurrences of two-nutrient (e.g., S+Zn, Zn+B) and even three- or four-nutrient deficiencies in various regions.
• Other Factors Affecting Soil Health:
  • Salinity: India has 6.7 million hectares of salt-affected land, resulting in an estimated loss of 11.18 million tonnes of crops annually.
  • Groundwater Depletion: Agriculture accounts for about 87% of the total annual groundwater extraction (239.16 bcm in 2022), impacting soil moisture and fertility in the long run.
  • Climate Change: Rising temperatures accelerate soil carbon loss. High to very high soil erosion zones are projected to rise from 35.3% to 40.3% by the century’s end due to climate change.
  • Unsustainable Agricultural Practices: Monocropping, over-tillage, and burning of crop residues further degrade soil fertility and organic matter content.

The Soil-Health and Human-Health Nexus

• Soil and Nutrition – An Inseparable Link: The quality of food is intrinsically tied to soil health. Micronutrient-deficient soils lower both crop yields and nutrient density.
  • Micronutrient Flow: Crops get essential nutrients from soil; humans depend on those nutrients for development and immunity.
  • Example: Zinc-deficient soil leads to zinc-deficient crops, causing child stunting.
• 2024 Soil Health Card Survey: Nutrient-depleted soils lead to widespread deficiencies, even when caloric needs are met.
  • A Soil Health Card survey (2024) revealed widespread nutrient gaps:
    • Less than 5% of samples had sufficient nitrogen
    • Only 20% had adequate Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)
    • Deficiencies noted in sulphur, zinc, boron, and iron
• Urgent Need for Soil Restoration: Many Indian soils need intensive care unit (ICU)-level restoration to regain fertility and support nutritious food production.
  • Safe Food Production: Healthy soils with active microbial life reduce uptake of harmful substances like heavy metals in crops.

Key Components of Soil-Focused Nutrition Reforms

• Smart Nutrient Management: Adoption of the 4Rs—Right Source, Right Dose, Right Time, and Right Place—for applying nutrients. 
  • This includes the use of organic manure, compost, biofertilizers, and balanced fertilization combining macro and micronutrients, reducing the dependency on synthetic inputs.
• Soil Organic Enrichment: Practices such as cover cropping, crop rotation, minimal tillage, and agroforestry enhance soil organic matter, improve water retention, and promote nutrient cycling.
• Enhancing Soil Biodiversity: A healthy soil microbiome supports plant health, boosts nutrient uptake, and strengthens resilience against pests and climate stress.
• Reducing Chemical Dependency: Promoting Integrated Pest Management (IPM), pest-resistant crop varieties, and natural pest control methods to reduce excessive use of chemical pesticides and herbicides.
  • IPM is a sustainable approach to pest control that combines multiple strategies to minimize the use of pesticides and promote a healthy ecosystem. 
  • It emphasizes prevention, monitoring, and a combination of cultural, physical, mechanical, and biological methods, using chemical controls only when necessary.
• Soil Testing & Farmer Awareness: Wider access to soil health diagnostics and localized advisory services helps farmers understand nutrient deficiencies and adopt sustainable practices.
• Policy and Institutional Support: Government incentives, regulatory frameworks, and programs are crucial in enabling and rewarding sustainable soil management.

Why Do These Reforms Matter?

• Nutrient-Rich Crops: Healthy soils produce crops richer in micronutrients like iron, zinc, and selenium, directly addressing hidden hunger in populations.
• Food Security & Climate Resilience: Fertile soils yield more and withstand climate shocks better, ensuring long-term productivity.
• Economic Gains for Farmers: Reduced input costs, better yields, and premium prices for nutrient-rich produce enhance farmer incomes.
• Environmental Benefits:
  • Carbon Sequestration: Healthy soils act as carbon sinks, helping mitigate climate change.
  • Water Efficiency: Improved soil structure leads to better water retention and reduced irrigation needs.
  • Reduced Pollution: Lower runoff from fertilizers and pesticides protects water bodies and ecosystems.
  • Biodiversity Revival: Healthy soils support diverse above-ground and below-ground ecosystems.
• Public Health Benefits: Safer and more nutritious food directly improves human health and reduces healthcare burdens. 
  • The Supreme Court of India emphasized the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution concerning public health hazards posed by unsafe food.

Barriers to Implementing Soil-Centric Nutrition Reforms

• Low Awareness & Technical Knowledge among small and marginal farmers.
• Inadequate Infrastructure for soil testing, organic input production, and advisory services.
• Economic Barriers due to high initial costs or fears of short-term yield drops during the transition.
• Policy Mismatches where subsidies still favor chemical fertilizers and market incentives for nutrient-rich produce are weak.
• Fragmented Landholdings make community-level soil reform efforts difficult, especially in diverse agro-climatic zones like India.

Successful Interventions – India’s Efforts

• Soil Health Card Scheme (2015) – Personalized reports on soil nutrient status to guide fertilizer use.
• Neem-Coated Urea (2015) – Slow-release nitrogen improves efficiency and reduces environmental harm.
• PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (2015) – Promotes efficient water use critical for maintaining soil moisture and fertility.
• Mission on Agroforestry (2016) – ‘Har Medh Par Ped’ encourages tree planting on farms to recycle nutrients.
• Crop Residue Management (2018) – Converts crop stubble into organic matter instead of burning.
• Natural & Organic Farming – Growing emphasis in states like Himachal Pradesh, reducing chemical inputs.
  • Sikkim holds the distinction of being India’s first “Organic State.”
• Nano-Urea & Nano-DAP – High-efficiency inputs applied in precise doses, reducing overuse.
• PM-PRANAM (2023) – Incentivizes balanced and sustainable fertilizer use.
• PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (2025–26) – Supports region-specific natural farming, irrigation, and storage infrastructure.
• Composting and Vermicomposting – Encourages conversion of farm and urban waste into organic fertilizers.

Way Forward for Soil-Focused Nutrition Reforms

• Research Needs: Quantify the impact of soil practices on human nutrition.
  • Study soil microbiomes and their influence on nutrient uptake.
• Technological Innovation: Internet of Things (IoT) Artificial Intelligence (AI), Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based soil maps, and real-time farm analytics enable precision farming.
  • Example: Uttar Pradesh, a major agrarian state, is actively implementing SHC and other central schemes. However, gaps persist in awareness, lab infrastructure, and farmer outreach.
  • Meerut’s Agritech Hub represents a forward-looking effort to integrate technology, soil science, and nutrition into local agriculture, with potential to become a national model for soil-based food system reform.
• Policy & Finance: Reform input subsidies to favor organic and balanced fertilization.
  • Reward farmers producing nutrient-dense crops through price premiums or nutrition-linked incentives.
• Promote Climate-Smart Agriculture: Shift from monoculture to millets, pulses, and biofortified crops. Amend the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to include nutrient-rich crops.
  • The NFSA, 2013, is a landmark piece of legislation in India that aims to provide subsidized food grains to a significant portion of the population, ensuring food and nutritional security. 
  • It legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
• Expand Social Protection: Add pulses, dairy, and millets to PDS baskets and provide DBT-linked nutrition support for vulnerable populations.
• Need for a Paradigm Shift in Agriculture: A fundamental change is essential — from merely maximizing yield to promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
• Rigorous Soil Testing: To detect specific nutrient deficiencies.
  • Customized, science-based fertilization suited to diverse crops and regions.
• Healthy Soils, Healthy People: The mantra emphasizes that healthy soils produce nutritious food, directly impacting human well-being.
  • Adopt a cyclical approach: from “plough to plate” to “plate to plough and back”.

Conclusion

“A nourished nation begins with nourished soil, educated choices, and inclusive policies.” Soil-focused nutrition reforms are the foundation for a resilient, healthy, and equitable food system. By improving soil health, India not only nourishes crops, but also protects its people, supports farmers, and restores the planet. A soil-first strategy is thus essential for India’s food, nutrition, and climate security in the 21st century.

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