Introduction: India’s Agricultural Evolution

• India transitioned from a “ship-to-mouth” nation during the 1960s under the US PL-480 food aid programme to the world’s largest rice exporter in 2024-25, exporting 20.2 million tonnes.

• Massive food grain production supports schemes like PM Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), feeding over 800 million people.

• Despite this progress in food availability, malnutrition remains a persistent issue, particularly among children.

Malnutrition: The Hidden Crisis

• NFHS-5 (2019–21) data:

  • 35.5% of children under 5 are stunted.

  • 32.1% underweight.

  • 19.3% wasted.

• Indicates a shift is needed from caloric sufficiency to nutritional sufficiency.

• Food security must now prioritize nutrient-rich food, not just volume.

Soil Health: The Missing Link

• Soils rich in nutrients yield crops that nourish, not just feed.

• Crops grown on nutrient-deficient soils often mirror those deficiencies, leading to human malnutrition (e.g., zinc deficiency in soils and stunted growth in children).

• Thus, soil health is no longer just an agricultural concern — it’s a public health imperative.

Status of Indian Soils: The Data Speaks

• Soil Health Card Scheme (2024):

  • <5% of soil samples had sufficient nitrogen.

  • 40% had sufficient phosphate.

  • 32% sufficient potash.

  • Only 20% had adequate soil organic carbon (SOC).

• Widespread deficiencies in micronutrients like sulphur, iron, zinc, and boron.

• Suggests large swaths of Indian soil are in critical condition — akin to being in an ICU.

Significance of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

• SOC is a key indicator of soil fertility — affecting water retention, nutrient cycling, and microbial health.

• Indian standard: 0.50–0.75% SOC considered adequate.

• Rattan Lal (World Food Laureate): SOC should be 1.5–2% for long-term sustainability.

• Indicates a substantial gap between practice and sustainability goals.

Fertiliser Use Imbalance: A Systemic Problem

• Major issue: Overuse of nitrogen (N), underuse of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).

  • Punjab: N overused by 61%, K underused by 89%.

  • Telangana: N overused by 54%, K underused by 82%.

• Imbalanced NPK ratios cause:

  • Reduced crop yields.

  • Lower nutrient content.

  • Soil degradation.

Environmental and Health Implications

• Inefficient application of urea:

  • Only 35–40% nitrogen absorbed by crops.

  • Rest lost as nitrous oxide (GHG) or leached into groundwater as nitrates.

• Nitrous oxide: 273x more potent than CO₂ as a GHG.

• Nitrate-laced water: Health hazard — especially for pregnant women and children.

• Overuse also causes fertiliser diversion and smuggling to neighbouring countries.

Declining Fertiliser Efficiency

• Fertiliser-to-grain response ratio:

  • 1970s: 1:10 (1 kg fertiliser = 10 kg grain).

  • 2015: Down to 1:2.7 — sharp drop in marginal returns.

• Indicates diminishing productivity, rising costs, and environmental consequences.

A Paradigm Shift: Science-Based Soil Management

• Need to shift from indiscriminate fertiliser use to precision, data-driven soil nutrition.

• Use of customised, soil-specific fertilisers based on region, crop, and deficiency profile.

• Enhanced soil testing and implementation of recommendations through:

  • Better farmer education.

  • Financial incentives for balanced fertiliser use.

  • Wider adoption of nano and liquid fertilisers.

Public-Private Partnerships: A Way Forward

• ICRIER-OCP Nutricrops Collaboration:

  • Combines research and private sector innovation.

  • Focus on data-driven, region-specific soil nutrition solutions.

  • Aim: Enhance crop productivity and nutritional profile.

• A model for scalable, sustainable development.

Policy Recommendations

• Revamp subsidy structure to incentivise balanced NPK usage.

• Strengthen Soil Health Card scheme with digital monitoring and real-time guidance.

• Promote micronutrient-rich fertilisers.

• Encourage crop diversification away from just cereals.

• Regulate urea use through coating, rationing, or biometric tracking.

Conclusion: From Plate to Plough and Back

• Ensuring healthy food requires starting with healthy soils.

• Nutritional security depends on an ecosystem approach — combining agriculture, environment, and health.

• Healing the earth is central to healing the nation — a true paradigm shift from production quantity to nutritional quality.

• “Only when soils receive the nutrients do they produce food that nourishes rather than merely fills stomachs.”

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