Gopikrishna SR

This paper published in the Economic and Political Weekly explores the contradictions in soil health management policies and its impact on farming and food production in India in the context of the declining vitality of Indian soils and the resultant threat to food sec

Soil is one of the basic natural resources that supports life on Earth. It is an ecosystem, which is a home to several living organisms, which make the soil alive and give it a good structure and texture.

A living soil ecosystem nurtures and nourishes plants by providing a healthy medium to take roots through a steady supply of nutrients. Use of chemical fertilisers disturbs the natural soil ecosystem and its indiscriminate use has resulted in the degradation of soil. A total neglect of ecological/organic fertilisation by policy makers, extension officers and farmers during the peak Green Revolution period has also added to the soil health crisis.

This report pools together scientific literature as well as farmers’ views on this issues as many a times, while studying issues related to soil health or while making policies related to it, the farmer, who is the most important stakeholder, is seldom consulted. The report has made an effort to rectify this grave inadequacy by including the farmer's perspectives in the academic processes like the social surveys, public hearings and workshops and in this final report. Every section of the report has a component from the existing scientific literature available and another one on the farmers’ opinion on the same area.