THE CONTEXT: India has travelled from “ship-to-mouth” dependence in the 1960s to exporting 20.2 million tonnes of rice in 2024-25—one-third of world trade—and is simultaneously running the world’s largest food distribution scheme (PMGKY) while holding 57 MT of rice stocks (July 2025), four times the buffer norm.
Yet NFHS-5 (2019-21) shows 35.5 % stunting, 32.1 % under-weight and 19.3 % wasting among under-fives, signalling that calorie security has not morphed into nutrition security.
Extreme poverty has fallen to 5.3 % (World Bank, 2022-23), but “hidden hunger” persists.
SOIL–FOOD–NUTRITION NEXUS:
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- Hidden hunger originates in soils: micronutrient-deficient soils produce micronutrient-poor grain, perpetuating human deficiencies.
- Zinc-deficient soils correlate with childhood stunting; low Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) limits nutrient-use efficiency and water retention, amplifying climate vulnerability.
- Conceptually, soil health is the first link in the “One Health” chain that connects ecosystem, crop, livestock and human well-being.
STATUS OF INDIAN SOILS (2024 DASHBOARD):
| Parameter (sufficiency) | Nitrogen | Phosphorus | Potassium | SOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of 8.8 mn samples | 3 % | 31 % | 27 % | 14 % |
SOC at less than 0.5 % on four-fifths of holdings is well below the 1.5-2 % threshold that World Food Laureate Rattan Lal considers essential for resilience.
DRIVERS OF DEGRADATION & NUTRIENT IMBALANCE:
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- Subsidy distortion: Urea remains 70 % cheaper than P & K, skewing the N:P: K application ratio to less than 8:3:1 in many districts.
- Granular-urea losses: Only 35-40 % N uptake; the rest volatilisers as nitrous oxide (273× CO₂ GWP) or leaches into groundwater.
- Monocropping & residue burning: It accelerate SOC loss, while groundwater over-extraction oxidises organic matter.
PUBLIC-HEALTH EXTERNALITIES
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- Soil micronutrient gaps translate into an estimated 5.2 million DALYs annually due to zinc/iron deficiency-related morbidity (WHO meta-analysis, 2024).
- Crops grown on deficient soils carry only 40-60 % of recommended dietary zinc, directly mirroring soil content.
POLICY & INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPE:
| Instrument | Key Features | Gaps identified |
|---|---|---|
| Soil Health Card (2015--) | 12 soil parameters tested: individual advisories | Lab capacity (only 22 % samples analysed within cycle) |
| PM-PRANAM (2023) | States rewarded with 50 % of subsidy saved by reducing chemical fertiliser use | Limited baseline audits & MRV. |
| Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) | Market-linked P & K subsidy; urea remains controlled | Price scissors persist |
| Nano-urea / fortified fertiliser pilots | Reduce N losses | Need independent efficacy trials |
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE (CSA) & CIRCULAR BIO-ECONOMY
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- CSA pilots in 175 “Climate-Smart Villages” integrate conservation tillage, precision fertigation and resilient varieties, showing 12-18 % yield gain with 20-25 % lower emissions.
- India’s bioeconomy ballooned from US$10 bn (2014) to US$165.7 bn (2024); BioE3 initiative promotes regenerative biomaterials and waste-to-wealth solutions, anchoring a circular nutrient loop (e.g., converting crop residue to biochar).
GENDERED DIMENSIONS:
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- Women constitute 73 % of India’s seed selection and on-farm nutrient-recycling labour yet hold less than 13 % land titles, limiting their access to formal soil-testing and credit.
- Research on organic collectives in Kerala and Odisha shows farms managed by women’s self-help groups record 15 % higher SOC and diversified diets.
GLOBAL BEST PRACTICES:
| Country | Intervention | Transferable insight |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Integrated plant–soil management with mandatory micronutrient blending | Regulates fertiliser blends by agro-ecological zone |
| China | Soil Testing & Formulated Fertilisation (STFF) across 90 % farmland | Voucher-based balanced-nutrient adoption |
| EU | CAP “eco-schemes” pay farmers for SOC enrichment measured via MRV | Result-based payments for carbon & biodiversity |
THE ISSUES:
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- Diagnostic deficit: Less than 30 % blocks have functional soil labs; turnaround is more than 30 days.
- Behavioural inertia: Free urea undermines demand for customised blends.
- Market opacity: Micronutrient fertiliser penetration only 7 % of potential.
- Governance fragmentation: Soil, nutrition and health programmes siloed across ministries.
- Climate stress loop: Rising heat reduces SOC accumulation potential, amplifying fertiliser demand.
THE WAY FORWARD:
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- Digital Soil Intelligence Platform: Deploy IoT-enabled field spectrometers and AI prediction models that auto-sync with the Soil Health Card portal, delivering real-time prescriptions via farmer apps.
- Outcome-linked Nutrient Subsidy Reform. Under PM-PRANAM 2.0, tie 30 % of state fertiliser subsidy to improvements in the N:P: K ratio validated by random sample audits; re-invest savings in micronutrient kits.
- Micronutrient Fortification Mandate: Make zinc- and boron-enrichment compulsory for all urea and DAP sold in districts with more than 50 % deficiency.
- Bio-fertiliser & Bio-stimulant PPP Clusters. Fast-track registration through a single-window e-FCO portal and co-locate start-ups with Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). Cluster labs enable peer-verified trials and cut farmer adoption costs by 25 %.
- SOC Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES): Launch a national carbon-plus pilot where farmers earn ₹1,000 per tonne added SOC, funded via domestic carbon market proceeds.
- Crop-Residue Biochar Mission: Incentivise on-farm pyrolysis units through 30 % capital subsidy and assured offtake into fertiliser blending. Biochar raises SOC by 0.2 % annually and cuts stubble burning emissions.
- Climate-Smart Village Scale-up: Expand CSA practices to 100,000 villages prioritised by heat-stress index; integrate drip-fertigation, drought-resilient cultivars and agro-forestry. Evidence shows 17 % higher water-use efficiency and 22 % GHG reduction.
- Urea Deep-Placement & Nano-Fertigation Incentive: Provide ₹300 per acre equipment rebate for urea briquetting/deep placement; trials show 25 % N saving and 8 % yield gain. Blend with nano-urea for further cuts in volatilisation.
- Agro-Ecological Zoning for Fertiliser Blends: Make it mandatory that fertiliser bag labels carry zone-specific application rates validated by ICAR; enforce via QR-code scans at sale points. This curbs blanket recommendations and respects soil heterogeneity.
THE CONCLUSION:
Healing soil is the quickest dividend pathway: every 1 % increase in SOC can raise water-holding capacity by ~20,000 litres per hectare and improve zinc uptake by 11 %, creating a virtuous cycle of farm income, climate resilience and public health. Soil security is therefore the bedrock of nutrition security and the Sustainable Development Goals.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTION:
Q. What are the different types of agriculture subsidies given to farmers at the national and state levels? Critically analyze the agriculture subsidy regime with the reference to the distortions created by it. 2013
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. India’s soil-health crisis is no longer just an agricultural concern; it is fundamentally a public-health and climate-resilience challenge. Critically analyse.
SOURCE:
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/ncert-textbook-revisions-10138193/
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