Soil Health and Fertility

Soil as a natural resource performs various critical functions, out of which the production function is the basis for food and nutritional security sustaining human and animal life on earth. It is the soil biological, chemical and physical properties that interact to provide a soil with capacity to function. Deterioration of soil health is considered as one of the main reasons of declining nutrient use efficiencies vis-a-vis stagnation of agricultural productivity in the country. Soil health is conceptualized on the ecological attributes of the soil. These attributes are chiefly those associated with the soil biota which is playing a critical role in maintaining soil health, fertility, ecosystem functions and productivity. Government of India is implementing a number of schemes for judicious use of soil resources in order to ensure maximum agricultural productivity and profitability for farming communities based on the technology backstopping provided by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and State/Central Agricultural Universities. Some of the notable government initiatives are Soil Health Management, component of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), National Mission on Soil Health Card, Biogas and Manure Management Schemes, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Watershed Management component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi SinchayeeYojana and Nutrient-Based Subsidy scheme.