Authors: Stephanie Katsir, AK Biswas, Kshithij Urs, Narendra Kumar Lenka, Pramod Jha, Kim Arora
India’s agricultural landscape, shaped by the Green Revolution, has long benefited from intensive farming practices, leading to increased food production and security. However, this progress has come at a significant environmental cost, particularly in terms of soil degradation. The rapid depletion of soil health now threatens food security, rural livelihoods, and long-term agricultural sustainability.
This paper explores how India can govern its soils sustainably by introducing national soil policies, leveraging local governance structures, and promoting agroecological practices that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The importance of soil health in India
India, home to 18% of the world’s population, relies heavily on agriculture, which sustains the livelihoods of over half of its citizens. Soil health plays a pivotal role in supporting food systems, which are essential to national nutrition and food security. However, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) estimates that 37% of the country’s land is affected by various forms of degradation, such as erosion, soil acidity, and salinity. Every year, the country loses 5.3 billion tons of soil due to water and wind erosion, significantly reducing crop productivity.
The degradation of soils in India poses a serious threat to the country’s future food security. The country faces soil erosion, loss of organic carbon, nutrient deficiencies, and contamination from heavy metals due to overuse of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
This decline in soil health has led to increased input costs for farmers, making it harder for them to sustain their livelihoods. Soil degradation also results in biodiversity loss, weakened climate resilience, and diminished water retention capacity, compounding the broader challenges of climate change.
Existing soil governance frameworks
India has taken several steps to promote soil health management over the last few decades, particularly through government initiatives like the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and the Soil Health Card scheme. These programs focus on reducing chemical fertiliser use, enhancing organic farming, and improving soil nutrient management. The NMSA, launched in 2010, aims to make Indian agriculture more sustainable and climate-resilient, while the Soil Health Card scheme provides farmers with soil test-based recommendations to optimise fertiliser use.
In addition to these programs, the Indian government has invested in soil health through other initiatives like the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) and the National Policy for Management of Crop Residues (NPMCR). These programs encourage in-situ soil conservation practices and crop residue management to prevent nutrient loss and improve soil quality.
While these initiatives have shown some positive outcomes—such as reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and increasing crop yields—there is still a significant gap in terms of comprehensive soil governance. India lacks a national-level soil policy that can integrate various sectoral efforts into a coherent strategy.
The case for a National Soil Policy
Recognising the need for more coordinated action, India’s policymakers have started working towards a National Soil Policy that provides an overarching framework for soil governance. The National Rainfed Agriculture Authority (NRAA) led a multi-stakeholder process to develop a Draft National Soil Policy following the Global Soil Week of 2019.
The draft policy, developed through consultations with various stakeholders, aims to protect and sustainably manage India's soils. It prioritises agricultural soils for food security. It has inadequate focus on addressing soils impacted by urbanisation, infrastructure, and mining.
This proposed policy is aligned with SDG 15.3, which aims to achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030. It calls for the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of soils across the country, addressing critical issues such as erosion, nutrient loss, and carbon sequestration.
The Draft National Soil Policy envisions reducing soil loss by one-third by 2030, compared to 2004 levels. It emphasises the importance of soil health for climate action, biodiversity conservation, and food security. A key objective is to increase soil organic carbon levels in line with India’s commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement.
One of the most important aspects of the Draft National Soil Policy is its recognition of the diverse stakeholders involved in soil management. From national policymakers to local farmers, the policy emphasises the need for collaboration across all levels of governance. It also acknowledges the importance of traditional knowledge and agroecological practices in restoring soil health.
Local governance and soil management: The role of panchayats
The Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), India’s decentralised system of local governance, play a critical role in implementing sustainable soil management practices at the village level. Panchayats have been recognised by the Indian Constitution as key players in rural governance, with specific responsibilities for agriculture, soil conservation, and watershed management. They are uniquely positioned to promote agroecological farming practices that can restore soil health while addressing the specific needs of local farmers.
Panchayats can encourage farmers to adopt natural farming techniques that rely on organic inputs, such as biofertilisers, composting, and crop rotation. By leveraging their proximity to farmers and deep understanding of local ecological conditions, Panchayats can foster context-specific solutions that are more likely to be adopted at scale.
Technological innovations, such as satellite imagery for crop planning and weather forecasting, can further empower Panchayats to manage soil health effectively. They can also promote collective action by forming farmer producer organisations (FPOs) that provide access to knowledge, resources, and markets for sustainably grown crops.
Moreover, Panchayats have the potential to create synergies between various government schemes, such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), which can provide labour for soil conservation projects. By aligning soil management with rural development goals, Panchayats can make a significant contribution to restoring degraded lands and improving rural livelihoods.
Challenges and the way forward
Despite their transformative potential, Panchayats face several challenges that limit their effectiveness in promoting sustainable soil management. These include inadequate funding, lack of technical expertise, and insufficient political support. To overcome these barriers, it is essential to build the capacity of Panchayats through targeted training programs, increased financial resources, and stronger institutional linkages with state and national governments.
The success of a national soil policy will depend on the extent to which it can engage local governance structures like Panchayats in the policy’s implementation. Without the active participation of Panchayats, the policy risks becoming another top-down initiative that fails to address the complexities of soil management at the grassroots level.
India’s soil governance strategies must also be inclusive, addressing the needs of small and marginal farmers who constitute most of the agricultural workforce. These farmers are often the most vulnerable to soil degradation, as they lack the resources to invest in soil restoration technologies. Providing technical and financial support to these farmers is critical for achieving the goals of the National Soil Policy.
The policy outlines a comprehensive framework for sustainable soil management in India, emphasising a landscape approach, building synergies among stakeholders, promoting science-based interventions, and prioritising people and communities. Key strategies include:
Knowledge and technology: Establishing a National Soil Inventory to gather data on soil health parameters, developing a soil information system for decision-making, and promoting soil testing and conservation measures.
Institutions and governance: Creating a Soil Health Division under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare to coordinate efforts, establishing state-level missions on soils to promote decentralised implementation, and fostering participatory action plans and awareness campaigns.
Incentives: Offering subsidies and incentives for soil protection, erosion control, and agroecological transitions, supporting local bodies in soil management activities, exploring innovative financing mechanisms, and encouraging participation in voluntary carbon markets.
These measures aim to protect, restore, and sustainably manage soils in India, contributing to its overall environmental and economic well-being. The policy also recognises the importance of addressing the unique challenges faced by small and marginal farmers, who play a crucial role in India's agricultural sector. By implementing these strategies, India can ensure a healthy and productive soil ecosystem for future generations.
Conclusion
As India moves towards the adoption of a National Soil Policy, sustainable soil management will require coordinated efforts across multiple levels of governance. The role of local institutions, particularly Panchayats, will be crucial in ensuring that soil restoration initiatives are tailored to the specific needs of rural communities. By promoting agroecological practices, leveraging technological innovations, and fostering collective action, Panchayats can become key drivers of sustainable soil governance in India.
The successful implementation of the Draft National Soil Policy will not only help India achieve its SDG commitments but also contribute to the long-term sustainability of its agricultural systems. Protecting and restoring soil health is essential for ensuring food security, improving rural livelihoods, and building resilience against climate change. Through collaborative governance and localised solutions, India can secure a sustainable future for its soils and its people.
The full paper can be accessed here