• Depleting soil organic matter: Imbalanced use of fertilizers has had a declining effect on soil organic matter, which is an important factor in maintaining soil health. Farmers tend to depend on fertilizers and neglect organic manure, which invariably leads to this decline, especially in intensively cropped regions
• Declining soil fertility: Almost 95 percent of the soils in India are deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus. Potassium deficiency has become widespread with almost 50 percent of fields being deficient. The same deficiency exists with sulphur and other micronutrients, particularly zinc.
• Physical degradation in soil conditions: Indiscriminate use of tilling, machinery used in harvesting, crop residue burning, and puddling leads to poor physical soil structure. This in turn affects future cropping and irrigation.
• Chemical degradation of soils: Soils degrade chemically through diffusion and from local sources, leading to salinization, acidification, alkalization, and further soil toxification. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides have a major role in the process of soil chemical degradation.

• Balanced and integrated use of fertilizers and micronutrients: All essential nutrients need to be applied in optimum quantities and in planned methods that are dependent on soil, crop, and climatic conditions. Timing and a judicious mix of nutrients will meet crop demands and will prevent excesses. Over-fertilizing of crops increases pest issues. Excess of nitrogen levels in plants can decrease resistance to pests, and result in crop damage.

This, of course, is only made possible with proper soil testing, outreach program, and policy initiatives. For instance, a reform of the Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme could be extended to include urea as well as other nutrients. Use of organic nutrients should also be encouraged, since an important factor in maintaining soil organic matter
Source: https://extension.psu.edu/managing-soil-health-concepts-and-practices

• Reduction in inversion tilling: Excess tilling is detrimental to soil health. Tilling tends to decompose organic matter, and disturb the soil aggregates, leading to reduction in soil health, increase in erosion, and reduced productivity. Tilling would only be required in order to increase organic input via residual crops or manure. Reduction in tillage may appear to be cumbersome and dependent on the individual field’s status; however, the benefits to the farmer are significant in the long run.

Source: https://www.agrifarming.in/soil-moisture-conservation-methods-for-beginners

Techniques such as strip tillage, no tillage, mulching, cover cropping, contouring, etc., have been shown to increase moisture retention in soil.

Leading the way

S M Sehgal Foundation, the well-recognized rural development NGO, in partnership with Mosaic India Private Limited, has been supporting farmers in Haryana and Rajasthan through Krishi Jyoti. Working in the semi-arid regions of Mewat District of Haryana and Alwar District of Rajasthan, this project has directly impacted the lives of more than 40,000 people in 60 villages of these districts.

The effort to introduce small-scale farmers to modern agricultural techniques has helped them increase their crop yields and achieve greater financial benefits from farming. To achieve this, the first broad area has been agricultural development work on enhancing soil health, providing agricultural inputs, and giving expert advice to farmers. Farmers were provided with good quality seeds and fertilizers, and macro and micronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, etc.

Water management, as a core focus of the project, entailed farmers’ training in water conservation, building infrastructure, and encouraging water-efficient irrigation techniques. Building check dams as well as promoting the use of drip irrigation facilities helped farmers to a large extent.

The initiative has been acknowledged, appreciated, and has received multiple awards including the FICCI Water Award in 2013 and the Bhamashah Award of Rajasthan government in 2016 and 2017 in different categories. The felicitation is a proof of the effort by Mosaic India Pvt. Ltd. and S M Sehgal Foundation to bring about positive change in the lives of small-scale farmers.

Conclusions

The 4R’s of nutrient management are referred to when talking about proper nutrient application and soil health. Soil health is in harmony with nutrient management and they are mutually interdependent.

The 4R’s refer to the right source, right rate, right time, and right place, and act as a guide in farming and nutrient practices

Balanced nutrient management must look at factors such as nutrients present in the soil, nutrient removal by crop, fertilizer input costs, investment and profitability, agricultural methods, soil moisture, physical condition of soil, and soil degradation conditions such as salinity, alkalinity, and acidity.

Considering the diversity in physical and moisture conditions prevalent in India, a blanket recommendation for soil management and health is not possible. A region-specific approach is the need of the hour and will go a long way in maintaining a balance between soil health and ecology preservation, ultimately resulting in increases in crop productivity. Educating farmers through outreach programs is necessary, and this can be achieved through regular capacity building and concerted policy efforts.

The resulting benefits will be a reduction in soil erosion, better soil nutrition, improved water quality, and greater biodiversity. The spin-off will be better crop yields, fulfilling the vision of doubling farmer income.