Reviving Soil Health Through Fertilizer Reforms

Syllabus:

GS-3:

  • Agriculture and development.
  • Agricultural Reforms

Why in the News?

On World Soil Day 2024, attention focused on India’s soil nutrient crisis and imbalanced fertilizer usage. This affects farm productivity, food security, and human health, highlighting the need for sustainable agricultural reforms.

Reviving Soil Health: Fertilizer Reforms for SustainabilitySignificance of Soil and Fertilizer Usage

  • Topsoil importance: Essential for 95% of food production, but takes 1,000 years to form a few centimeters, highlighting its critical role in agriculture.
  • Declining nutrients: Indian soils lack adequate nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, with micronutrient deficiencies leading to reduced crop productivity and poor soil health.
  • Role of fertilizers: Fertilizers enable optimal crop yields by supplying critical nutrients, ensuring food security and supporting India’s high-yield agriculture system.
  • Export success: Fertilizers helped India export 85 million tonnes of cereals, solidifying its position as the world’s largest rice exporter despite challenging conditions.
  • Nutrient imbalance: Excessive nitrogen use and insufficient phosphorus and potassium applications reduce nutrient efficiency and harm agricultural sustainability in many Indian states.

Issues with Fertilizer Subsidies

  • High subsidies: Fertilizer subsidies consume 4% of the Union budget, creating fiscal pressure while distorting the nutrient balance essential for healthy crop growth.
  • Uneven pricing: Controlled urea prices make it the cheapest globally, leading to excessive nitrogen use compared to phosphate and potash, affecting soil health.
  • Environmental damage: Overuse of nitrogen results in nitrous oxide emissions, a greenhouse gas 273 times more potent than carbon dioxide, harming ecosystems.
  • Leakages: Around 20-25% of subsidized urea is diverted for non-agricultural purposes or smuggled to neighboring countries, leading to significant resource misuse.
  • Productivity loss: Imbalanced fertilizer use reduces nutrient use efficiency (NUE) to 35-40%, leading to lower yields and financial losses for farmers.

Environmental Consequences of Fertilizer Misuse

  • Greenhouse emissions: Excess nitrogen use emits nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, contributing significantly to climate change and undermining global emission reduction targets.
  • Water pollution: Fertilizer runoff causes eutrophication in water bodies, resulting in algal blooms, reduced aquatic biodiversity, and contamination of drinking water sources.
  • Soil degradation: Overuse of nitrogen and underuse of potassium and phosphorus leads to soil acidification, reduced fertility, and declining crop yields.
  • Biodiversity loss: Chemical-heavy farming disrupts soil microbial ecosystems, impacting the natural nutrient cycle and reducing pollinator populations vital for agriculture.
  • Resource inefficiency: Misuse wastes valuable resources like fertilizers, water, and energy, increasing the carbon footprint of agriculture and reducing overall sustainability.

Global Lessons and Best Practices

  • Precision agriculture: Countries like the US use smart farming technologies to optimize nutrient application, minimizing waste and enhancing soil health.
  • Subsidy reforms: China shifted to balanced fertilizer use policies, improving productivity while reducing environmental damage from excessive nutrient application.
  • Soil health focus: European nations prioritize organic farming practices and crop rotation, ensuring sustainable soil management and nutrient replenishment.
  • Nutrient monitoring: Advanced soil testing frameworks in developed countries enable real-time nutrient assessment, helping farmers adjust fertilizer use.
  • Public awareness: Governments in nations like Japan actively promote education campaigns for farmers, ensuring sustainable fertilizer use and widespread adoption of best practices.

Challenges in Implementation

  • Infrastructure gaps: Developing robust data and distribution systems requires significant resources to ensure the seamless implementation of fertilizer reforms.
  • Policy alignment: Reforms must integrate with existing schemes like PM-KISAN and soil health initiatives to avoid inefficiencies and overlaps.
  • Resistance from stakeholders: Farmers and companies reliant on subsidies may oppose deregulation and require transparent communication to build trust.
  • Monitoring mechanisms: Regular soil testing and monitoring are crucial for tracking changes in soil health and adjusting fertilizer strategies accordingly.
  • Public perception: Convincing farmers that direct benefit transfers and deregulation improve profitability requires sustained education and policy advocacy.

Solutions for Sustainable Fertilizer Use

  • Direct transfers: Replace subsidies with digital coupons, empowering farmers to purchase fertilizers, ensuring efficient use and promoting balanced nutrient application.
  • Sector deregulation: Removing price controls can drive innovation and efficiency, ensuring balanced use of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients.
  • Micro-nutrient focus: Promote micronutrients like zinc and boron, enhancing soil fertility, increasing yields, and boosting farmer profitability through effective nutrient management.
  • Integrated data systems: Link fertilizer sales, soil health cards, and crop patterns to enable targeted interventions and improved agricultural practices.
  • Farmer education: Awareness campaigns on balanced fertilizer usage can enhance soil health, improve nutrient efficiency, and boost overall agricultural sustainability.

Conclusion

India’s fertilizer subsidy policy must evolve to address the soil nutrient crisis and boost agricultural productivity. Balanced reforms involving deregulation, micro-nutrient promotion, and digital empowerment can create a sustainable future for soils, farmers, and the fertilizer industry.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Practice Question

Discuss the challenges posed by India’s fertilizer subsidy policy on soil health and productivity. Suggest reforms to ensure sustainable nutrient management in Indian agriculture.

Associated Article:

https://universalinstitutions.com/soils-of-india/