Soil in India is losing its life: Organic carbon levels drop alarmingly

India’s agricultural foundation is under growing pressure, with the very soil that feeds the nation losing its strength and vitality. According to the FAO’s 2024 report, nearly 32 per cent of India’s total land is now degraded, and 25 per cent faces desertification. At the same time, Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)—which is essential for nutrient cycling, water retention, and soil life—has dropped from around 2–3 per cent to just 0.4–0.7 per cent in large areas over the last seven decades. This sharp decline in soil health is silently undermining crop yields, farmer incomes, and our ability to adapt to climate shocks. If left unaddressed, it could disrupt the country’s food security and weaken rural resilience for years to come.

Degraded soils, threatened food security

Soil degradation is no longer limited to a few regions. Nearly 30 per cent of India’s land—about 115–120 million hectares — is now classified as degraded. In 2019–20, approximately 44 per cent of India’s soils were found deficient in organic carbon, indicating that over half of the cultivated land lacks sufficient organic matter.

Decades of intensive farming have focused heavily on chemical inputs and deep tillage. While these methods brought short-term gains, they have severely harmed long-term soil health. Continuous use of chemical fertilizers, excessive irrigation, and neglect of natural soil-building methods have stripped the land of its organic richness and microbial life.

This crisis extends beyond the fields. As soil health declines, crops lose resilience to pests, diseases, and erratic weather. The nutritional value of food also suffers—posing a hidden threat to public health. Over time, this weakens the very foundation of national food security.

Natural farming: The path to regeneration

Our soils are damaged, and repairing them requires a decisive shift in our approach to agriculture. Natural farming is no longer an alternative, it is a necessary transition. It restores balance to the land by replacing chemical inputs with nature-based practices that revive soil life and improve productivity sustainably.

Some simple yet powerful methods include:

In addition, bio-based agricultural inputs such as bio NPK, nitrogen boosters, potassium and phosphorus boosters, along with the use of bio-insecticides and bio-pesticides, are showing immense promise. These natural formulations enhance plant nutrition, restore microbial balance, and improve the soil’s ability to retain organic carbon—all without the environmental damage caused by synthetic chemicals.

These steps not only revive soil health but also contribute to water conservation, reduced pollution, and long-term economic benefits for farmers. Natural farming builds a resilient and regenerative system that serves both people and the planet.

Conclusion

Soil is not just the ground beneath our feet—it is a living, breathing ecosystem that fuels India’s food production, sustains rural livelihoods, and supports environmental stability. Decades of chemical-centric farming have drained this system of its life force. As a result, we now face declining yields, poor nutrition, and rising vulnerability to climate change.

The solution lies in regeneration, not exploitation. Natural farming, supported by bio-based agri-inputs, offers a realistic, science-backed path to recovery. With focused support from policymakers, scientists, farming communities, and informed citizens, even the most degraded soils can be revived.

The future of Indian agriculture depends not just on what we grow, but on how we choose to grow it. Now is the time to act—before the damage becomes too deep to reverse.

The author is Founder and CEO, CEF Group

Published on June 28, 2025

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