Healthy soil underpins India’s food security and human health

Source: The post Healthy soil underpins India’s food security and human health has been created, based on the article “The soil of a nation” published in “Indian Express” on 21st July 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3- Agriculture ( Issues related to soil conservation and management)

Context: India’s food security journey, from food aid dependence to global rice leadership, is impressive. Yet, despite reduced poverty and massive food distribution, malnutrition persists. The article highlights how poor soil health, particularly micronutrient deficiencies, undermines agricultural productivity and nutrition, necessitating urgent and science-based soil management reforms.

For detailed information on Poor soil management will erode food security read this article here

India’s Food Security Achievements and Lingering Challenges

1. From Scarcity to Surplus: India has become the world’s largest rice exporter with 20.2 million tonnes shipped in FY25. The PM-Garib Kalyan Yojana feeds over 800 million people monthly. FCI holds 57 MT of rice, almost four times the buffer requirement.
2. Decline in Extreme Poverty: Extreme poverty (under $3/day at 2021 PPP) has fallen from 27.1% in 2011 to 5.3% in 2022. These improvements reflect broader economic progress and effective welfare distribution.
3. Persistent Malnutrition: Despite improved food access, child malnutrition remains high. NFHS-5 (2019–21) reports 35.5% stunting, 32.1% underweight, and 19.3% wasting in children under five. The focus must shift from calorie sufficiency to nutritional adequacy.

Soil Health: The Silent Nutrition Crisis

1. Micronutrient Deficiencies and Human Impact: Soils deficient in key micronutrients like zinc produce nutrient-poor crops, leading to hidden malnutrition. Zinc deficiency in cereals is linked to childhood stunting and impaired cognitive development.
2. Shocking Soil Health Data: Analysis of 8.8 million soil samples in 2024 reveals alarming results—only 5% have sufficient nitrogen, 40% phosphate, 32% potash, and 1% adequate soil organic carbon (SOC). SOC governs soil fertility and nutrient retention.
3. Diverse Expert Benchmarks: The Indian Institute of Soil Science suggests SOC of 0.5–0.75% is sufficient, while global expert Rattan Lal recommends 1.5–2%. Widespread deficiencies in sulphur, iron, zinc, and boron further worsen the issue.

Fertiliser Imbalance and Environmental Consequences

1. Skewed Usage Across States:,In states like Punjab and Telangana, nitrogen is grossly overused while phosphate and potassium are under-applied. For instance, Punjab overuses nitrogen by 61% but underuses potassium by 89%.
2. Declining Fertiliser Efficiency: The fertiliser-to-grain response ratio has plummeted from 1:10 in the 1970s to 1:2.7 in 2015, reflecting diminishing returns due to imbalanced nutrient use.
3. Pollution and Misuse: Only 35–40% of applied nitrogen is absorbed; the rest becomes a potent greenhouse gas or leaches into water. Misuse and smuggling of urea compounds the problem, turning fertiliser use into an environmental and security issue.

Towards a Paradigm Shift in Soil Management

1. Need for Tailored Nutrient Strategies: India must shift from blanket fertiliser use to region-specific, science-based soil nutrition. This involves precision fertilisation aligned with crop and soil needs.
2. Linking Soil Health to Public Health: Improving soil quality is no longer just an agronomic concern—it’s essential for producing nutrient-rich food and ensuring long-term human health.
3. New Collaborations for Sustainable Change: ICRIER and OCP Nutricrops have partnered to promote data-driven, regional soil solutions that aim to boost crop productivity and nutritional quality sustainably.

Conclusion:

To nourish India’s population effectively, efforts must begin with restoring soil health. Only a healthy Mother Earth can ensure nutritious food and a truly healthy nation.

Question for practice:

Examine how poor soil health in India affects both agricultural productivity and nutritional security, despite the country’s achievements in food production and poverty reduction.