Paper: GS – III, Subject: Environment, Ecology and Disaster Management, Topic: Land degradation, Issue: Need for effective soil nutrition.
Context:
India needs a paradigm shift in soil nutrition management. Focus needs to shift from indiscriminate fertiliser use to tailored, science-based soil strategies.
Key Highlights:
Current Soil Health Scenario: Based on over 8.8 million soil samples tested under Soil Health Card Scheme, following are the deficits found in most soils:
Challenges:
- Macronutrient Imbalance: Overuse of nitrogenous fertilisers (urea) leads to soil nutrient imbalance.
- Zinc Deficiency: It affects human nutrition especially for children as it leads to stunted growth and impaired cognitive development.
- Low Soil Organic Carbon (SOC): Poor SOC reduces water retention and microbial activity.
- Imbalanced N: P: K Ratio: National ratio moved from 10:1:1 (1970s) to 7:2.7:1 (2020s). In some states it is more distorted as seen in Telangana where N use 82%, P 13%, K 5%.
- Food security impact: Crops grown on nutrient-deficient soils are themselves deficient as food grown lacks essential nutrients leading to silent malnutrition.
- Productivity loss: Fertiliser misuse reduces productivity and nutrition, wastes subsidy, and harms soil.
Measures needed:
- Tailored Fertiliser Use: Based on soil testing and local crop needs.
- Enhancing Organic Carbon: Promote composting, cover cropping, organic inputs.
- Soil Health as National Priority: Link soil health to food and human nutrition policy.
- Improve Soil Health Literacy: Educate farmers about balanced fertiliser application.
- Science-Based Governance: Use Soil Health Card data for decision-making.
Conclusion:
Food grown on healthy soil is crucial for both Nutritional Security (human health)and Agricultural Sustainability (soil productivity). India needs a paradigm shift in soil nutrition management from indiscriminate fertiliser use to scientific, localised, crop-soil aligned strategies.
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