India’s soil health crisis significantly threatens agricultural productivity, ecological balance, and food security. The major causes of soil degradation include:

1. Excessive Chemical Fertilizer Use: The skewed fertilizer policy heavily subsidizes urea, resulting in an over-reliance on nitrogen. The current NPK ratio of 7.7:3.1:1 starkly contrasts with the ideal 4:2:1, leading to nutrient imbalances.
2. Unsustainable Agricultural Practices: Practices such as monocropping and intensive farming in states like Punjab and Haryana degrade soil fertility. Over-tillage and the burning of crop residues further contribute to this decline.
3. Soil Erosion and Desertification: Deforestation, overgrazing, and poor water management exacerbate erosion, affecting nearly 30% of India’s land.

To address these challenges, strategic measures for sustainable soil management should include:

• Integrated Nutrient Management: Shift towards balanced fertilization by combining organic manure and biofertilizers with judicious synthetic inputs.
• Promotion of Agroforestry: Integrating trees with crops can enhance soil health and prevent erosion.
• Soil Health Monitoring: Implementing Soil Health Cards can provide farmers with real-time data to optimize fertilizer application.

By adopting these measures, India can restore soil health and ensure sustainable agricultural practices for the future.