Soil restoration: Key to increase productivity and farmers’ prosperity

“Healthy soil can not only help end world hunger but also help create a healthy planet” – this was a powerful statement from Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, at the opening of the Global Symposium on Soils for Nutrition in 2022.. Soil was also discussed at COP27, where there was a widespread recognition that over half the world’s soil is already badly degraded, hence leaders in government alongside legislators must act quickly and significantly to halt the destruction of soil and restart its restoration. Soil helps feed most people on Earth as approximately 95% of food consumed in the world is grown in soil. Like any organism - soil is a living entity and its health is gauged by the quantity of organic matter it contains. For instance, in the root zone – which is the top 20 cm of the soil – the weight of organic matter should be approximately 2.5% to 3%. When organic matter’s weight is in this range, the soil is healthy . Unfortunately, soil health in parts of India is already poor and deteriorating. Causes of soil degradation The reasons for poor and deteriorating soil health include in-field burning of crop residues, removal of crop residues, excessive tillage, flood-based irrigation, and -imbalanced use of chemicals. As a result of these practices in Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh, soil organic matter is as low as .1%. In Northwest India and many other parts of India, organic matter in cropland soil is a low .5%. Consequently, crop yields in these regions are perpetually low. However, the soil is resilient, and farmers can take steps to help restore it back to health. Steps to restore soil health To help improve soil health, farmers can adopt residue mulching. This requires them to ensure that when new crops are emerging from the soil, at least 30% of the soil’s surface be covered by the residue of the previous crop. Farmers may also adopt no-till-farming. That’s because tillage loosens and removes plant matter covering the soil. This exposes soil to wind and water and hence it erodes. Farming first began 10,000 years ago with no-till-farming. Thus, the practice can easily be adopted . Soil should also be rejuvenated by growing a cover crop or forage . A cover crop helps prevent soil erosion, regulates moisture, attracts pollinators, makes weed and pest management easier, and serves as mulch and a source of green manure and organic matter. Cover can also be used for grazing or foraging and, depending on the crop being grown, can help add or remove nitrogen from the soil. Soil quality can be improved by managing grazing, using more compost and biofertilizer, and by using drip-sub fertigation which helps optimize fertilizer use. Adopting agro-forestry, which means growing crops alongside trees and livestock, can also help restore soil health. Other measures like recycling all bio-waste on the land, and adhering to the law of return, which entails returning everything taken from the soil back into it - one way or another - can also help improve soil health. In addition to farmers, private sector and the government can also play a part in stopping soil degradation and improving soil quality. Educating farmers, a key component of restoring soil health One of the most effective ways private companies can help revitalize soil is by educating farmers about how to use agricultural inputs judiciously. Agricultural input companies who work closely with farmers, are the best suited to share how to use these inputs without harming the soil and diminishing the quality and quantity of crops. These companies can also open ‘Soil health’ centers that are manned by experts and fitted with soil analysis equipment, in rural areas close to farms. At such centers, not only could farmers be taught the most effective ways to farm but also soil samples from farms could be collected and analyzed. Subsequently, granular information about the needs of specific farms could be shared with farmers. Armed with this information, farmers would be able to make better decisions concerning farming. For instance, FMC India, under its Project UGAM has educated 1,00,000 farmers across 240 villages in India within a year on soil health. Also, private companies could share with farmers the advantages of using fortified and nutrient-rich fertilizers. For instance, fertilizers that are fortified with zinc or selenium help improve soil and crop quality. Furthermore, these elements are passed on from fertilizer to crops and to those who consume such crops. Consequently, those who consume such crops enjoy a more nutritious diet. Policy intervention also need of the hour to stop soil degradation In the past, Indian government has implemented many policies to improve soil health. One such policy called the National Agroforestry Policy was launched in 2014. The policy is designed to help farmers include trees and shrubs in their farming practices and thereby, increase farmers’ incomes and improve soil health. While the National Agroforestry Policy alongside other endeavors have been useful, in the years ahead, the Indian Government will have to play a more direct role in improving soil quality. A direct monetary incentive from the government to the farmers, will greatly help in the adoption of good soil health practices, improving soil health, productivity and nutrient content of the food over the long run. Also, the government will have to guard farmland against urban sprawl. To do so, they could roll out a national soil protection policy that demarcates prime agricultural land and protects it from being swallowed up by expanding cities and towns. The price of not acting today is greater soil degradation, lower crops yields, and less nutritious food - the third is already a concern. Though India is a food-secure nation, even today, much of the food grown in the country is not on par with global nutrient standards. Hence poor soil health already affects even those who have enough to eat, accentuating the need to improve soil health. Inclusivity in soil fertility will help realise its full agricultural potential The need to prevent soil degradation and restore soil health was raised for the first time at Conference of the Parties. At COP27’s Koronivia joint work on agriculture, it was recognized that issues related to soil carbon, soil health, and soil fertility should be dealt with in a holistic and inclusive manner as doing so would help realize the full potential of increased productivity in contributing to food security . The actions mentioned above, when undertaken in India and across the world, will help bring about this realization. The author is the president of FMC India, he is a global business leader in the agriculture, specialty chemicals and industrial sectors with more than 15 years of international work experience. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.