India’s Soil Crisis

Paradox of Food Security vs. Malnutrition

Indicator	1960s	2024-25
Food Status	PL-480 aid recipient	World’s largest rice exporter (20.2 MT)
Food Stocks	Critical shortage	57 MT rice (4× buffer norm)
Poverty (PPP)	27.1% (2011)	5.3% (2022)
Child Malnutrition	-	Stunted: 35.5%, Wasted: 19.3% (NFHS-5)

**Soil Health Emergency **

Parameter	Adequacy Level	India’s Status
Nitrogen (N)	-	<5% sufficient
Phosphate (P)	-	40% sufficient
Potash (K)	-	32% sufficient
Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)	0.5-0.75%	20% sufficient
Micronutrients	-	Deficient: S, Zn, Fe, B

Key Drivers of Crisis

1. Fertilizer Imbalance:

   • State Disparities: Punjab (N excess: 61%, K deficit: 89%), Telangana (N excess: 54%, K deficit: 82%).
   • Efficiency Collapse: Fertilizer-to-grain ratio fell from 1:10 (1970s) → 1:2.7 (2015).

2. Environmental Impact:

   • Urea Wastage: 60-65% lost as GHG (N₂O: 273× more potent than CO₂) or groundwater nitrate.
   • Soil Fatigue: Reduced water-holding capacity & microbial activity.

3. Policy Gap:

   • Blanket subsidy-driven urea overuse (no soil-specific application).
   • Neglect of micronutrients and SOC enrichment.

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Solutions: Pathway to Nutritional Agriculture

Strategic Shifts

Current Approach	Future Imperative
Quantity-focused (calories)	Nutrition-sensitive farming
Blanket fertilizer use	Precision agriculture (Soil Health Card-based)
Urea subsidies	Balanced NPK + micronutrient support
Isolated interventions	ICRIER-OCP Nutricrops model: Data-driven, region-specific solutions

4-Pillar Framework (HEAL)

• Human-Soil Health Integration: Link NFHS & SHC data for targeted districts.
• Eco-friendly Fertilizers: Promote nano-urea, neem-coated urea, compost.
• Anatomical Fertilizer Policy:
  • Subsidy rebalance**: Shift funds from urea to K/micronutrients.
  • "One Soil, One Fertilizer"**: Customized recommendations via SHC portal.
• Long-term SOC Boost:
  • Carbon farming**: Crop rotation, agroforestry, biochar.
  • PM-PRANAM Scheme**: Incentivize states to reduce chemical fertilizers.

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