digantsharma A groundbreaking report released by the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP) has raised serious concerns over the declining soil health across major agricultural belts in India. The report, titled “Status of Soil Fertility in Indian Farmlands (2024)”, indicates that over 50% of India’s cultivable soil is suffering from nutrient deficiency or degradation due to overuse, erosion, and poor agricultural practices.
We sat down with Dr. R.K. Sharma, senior soil scientist and one of the authors of the report, to unpack what these findings mean for the future of Indian farming.
🌱 What the Report Reveals
The study examined soil samples from 15 states over three cropping seasons, focusing on key parameters like nitrogen, phosphorus, organic carbon content, pH levels, and microbial activity. Alarmingly, the findings revealed:
- 63% of samples lacked sufficient nitrogen
- 48% were low in organic carbon, a key indicator of soil vitality
- Soil erosion and salinity are increasing in rain-fed regions
- Microbial biodiversity is shrinking due to excessive pesticide use
Dr. Sharma explains, “Our soil is losing its life. Fertilizers and irrigation help in the short run, but we are slowly depleting the natural fertility which sustained us for centuries.”
🧪 The Human Impact
Poor soil health directly translates to lower yields, increased input costs, and weaker resilience to climate shocks. Marginal and small-scale farmers are the worst hit, as they often lack the resources or knowledge to address these issues.
The report draws a clear connection between poor soil health and debt cycles in farming communities, as deteriorating productivity forces farmers to invest more in synthetic inputs with diminishing returns.
💡 Recommendations from the Report
The NBSS&LUP provides a roadmap for reversing the trend, focusing on:
- Promoting organic amendments like compost and green manure
- Encouraging crop rotation and cover cropping to rebuild soil structure
- Using bio-fertilizers and microbial inoculants to rejuvenate microbial life
- Policy-level incentives for soil testing and restoration programs
- Training farmers in soil conservation techniques
Dr. Sharma emphasizes, “We must treat soil as a living resource, not just a medium to grow crops.”
🗣️ What Farmers and Experts Are Saying
Field interviews included in the report show mixed awareness among farmers. While some regions, especially in Kerala and parts of Punjab, have adopted organic and regenerative practices, others remain heavily dependent on chemical inputs.
Manoj Desai, a farmer from Gujarat, says, “I didn’t realize my soil was dead until I started seeing cracks even after watering. Now I’ve begun using compost and stopped burning crop residue.”
📢 The Call to Action
Dr. Sharma and his team are now lobbying for a national-level soil mission akin to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, aimed at restoring the country’s soil health through a combination of science, policy, and public awareness.
“If we don’t act now,” Sharma warns, “we’ll be facing a slow agricultural collapse.”
