The soil of India has always been more important than the ground on which we walk. It is a living archive of our civilization, a storehouse of nutrients, microbes and organic matter that quietly sustains our food systems. Across all agricultural sectors of India, the story is changing. Years of heavy farming, thin topsoil and declining organic carbon have exhausted large tracts of land. As the nation moves towards its vision of a developed India 2047, weakening soil health is not a regional concern but a national alarm. The foundations of our food security, climate resilience and rural prosperity are slowly eroding. The risks are huge for India’s 70% of small and marginal farmers, who cultivate most of the land but face rising input costs and erratic weather.
The good news is that India is not starting from scratch. Across states, farmers are adopting climate smart innovations that work with nature rather than against it. Direct-seeded rice, zero-till wheat and alternating wetting and drying are rebuilding organic matter and reducing emissions. For example, regenerative practices such as direct-seeded rice, zero tillage, and cover cropping can restore this balance, leading to 30–50% reductions in fertilizer use and 10–30% increases in yields in rice-wheat systems. These methods increase soil organic carbon from a low level of 0.4–0.6% to 0.8–1.2%, sequestering carbon and reducing agricultural emissions by 18%. Without action, we risk deepening poverty and hunger in rural areas. However, off-farm livelihood options such as mushroom cultivation, beekeeping and integrated aquaculture are strengthening rural incomes while reducing pressure on land. These grassroots solutions matter but they need a strong and comprehensive support system.
While the Soil Health Card Scheme, launched in 2015, represents a commendable government effort to promote better soil management through information and awareness, its impact remains uneven. However, the widespread and sustained gains in soil fertility and crop yields in different regions suggest that these efforts, although valuable, require deeper integration with other sustainable agricultural practices and local capacity building. It is equally important to invest in the skills of rural women and youth under national skill development programmes, which can be truly transformative. Facilitating co-organized collaborative skills and certification programs through research-extension based public-private partnerships will help in mainstreaming gender balance and increasing youth participation in agriculture. Such initiatives can create a more inclusive and adaptive agricultural ecosystem that builds long-term resilience and innovation capacity in rural communities.
The message is clear that when science is put directly and purposefully into the hands of farmers, change happens. Policy tools already exist, but they demand bolder scaling. Therefore, assessment alone cannot secure India’s agricultural future. The next leap must come from large-scale adoption, supported by deep diagnostics and real-time intelligence. Soil is a dynamic living system and its care must evolve with climatic uncertainties. A digital soil health mission can form the basis of this change. The Digital Soil Health Mission should integrate AI, satellites and village-level laboratories run by women’s groups and farmer groups to provide real-time advice in local languages.
By combining data from satellite imagery, AI-based analytics and soil health cards, India can create an accurate real-time soil intelligence network. Imagine advice delivered in regional languages, early warnings on erosion or nutrient depletion, and predictive models guiding sowing and fertilisation. This is not futuristic – it is required by India’s NDCs, which aim to cut emissions by 45% by 2030 and sink 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon. Regenerative agriculture on 1 million acres can avoid millions of tons of CO2 while increasing water retention by 10-20%, thereby protecting fields from drought. It advances the SDGs from zero hunger to gender equality, empowering women in agroforestry and beekeeping for diverse incomes.
Furthermore, to make this ecosystem work on the ground, soil testing needs to be taken closer to the farmers. Village level mini laboratories run by farmer producer groups, rural youth and women-led groups can make diagnosis quick, affordable and reliable. Portable spectrometers, drone LED sampling and IoT based soil sensors can help reach even the most remote areas. When connected to digital dashboards and advisory systems, these centers become engines of informed decision making. However, reviving soil fertility will also require reviving the soil microbiome, the invisible universe of organisms that feed our crops, store carbon and enhance resilience. Excessive chemical use has disrupted this natural harmony. Biofertilizers, compost, biochar and microbial inoculants can rebuild this living network and strengthen the soil structure. Each incremental increase in organic carbon contributes to better yields, healthier food, and stronger climate action by locking carbon back into the Earth. We must combat this crisis boldly through Integrated Nutrient Management measures (INM). Nevertheless, INM must now evolve from a government guideline to a national movement, based on diagnosis rather than tradition. A combination of chemical, biological and biological inputs will allow farmers to reduce input costs and prevent nutrient runoff. India’s precision agriculture market is projected to grow rapidly by 2030, linking technology with traditional knowledge to unlock both sustainability and profitability.
Incentives are another important lever. Farmers who restore organic carbon to soil, adopt balanced fertilizers, or use certified bio-inputs should get preferential benefits under PM Kisan, PMFBY and credit linked schemes. Verified soil carbon benefits can also open up access to carbon credits, provide new income streams and connect rural India to emerging green finance markets. Incentives under PM-Kisan and carbon credits can reward adopters, while reviving soil microbiomes through fixed-carbon-based biofertilizers, protecting biodiversity and reducing pesticide needs by 20-40%. At the same time, water management is also deeply linked to the future of soils. Smart water management, rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation can reduce erosion to a great extent and increase productivity. Linking initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana and National Sustainable Agriculture Mission with the proposed Digital Soil Health Mission could accelerate the impact.
For this change to take root, India’s agricultural extension systems must be strengthened. Krishi Sakhis, agri-entrepreneurs and field officers need training in soil biology, microbiology, digital tools and precision practices. Collaboration between agricultural universities, ICAR institutes and IITs can help in designing modern curriculum that blends regional knowledge with scientific education. Soil health card databases, regional soil intelligence centers linked to ICAR and state universities can help forecast risks, identify degradation hotspots and guide state-level planning. National level modeling requires standardization of soil data from different sources. Investing in soil health has far-reaching benefits on food security, water availability and climate resilience. The private sector and civil society also have a role to play. Public-private partnerships can help develop localized antimicrobial solutions, smart testing kits and cloud-based advisory platforms. Companies can collaborate with farmers to create sustainable sourcing models where restoring the soil becomes part of the value chain.
At its core, soil restoration is rural restoration. When farmers understand the biology of their soils, they are empowered to increase fertility, reduce costs, and build resilience against climate shocks. Healthy soil means healthy crops, healthy communities and a healthy nation. The soil that has supported us for centuries is asking for renewal. If we strengthen it today it will strengthen India tomorrow. Healthy soil is not only an environmental necessity, but also the basis of economic security, climate adaptation and national well-being. By nourishing the soil, we nurture India’s future. Therefore, India must pledge urgent investment in soil-first strategies to secure crops, communities and a resilient future.
This article is written by Suman S, Operating Director, Dr. Reddy’s Foundation.
