India has developed a draft of a new soil health policy

The government plans to introduce a soil health policy in the near future, the first draft of which is already ready. As stated by M.L. Jat, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), at a roundtable on fertilizers organized by the think tank ICRIER, the initiative has been discussed with various stakeholders over the past year, including regional consultations. The main task now is to ensure the effective implementation of the developing Bharat Soil Health Policy.

As part of the new policy, the goal is to train 100,000 soil health entrepreneurs. In the first phase, it is planned to launch at least 1,000 such specialists, after which the project will be expanded through public-private partnerships and corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding. This approach aims to raise awareness and empower local residents to ensure the balanced application of fertilizers.

Commenting on the situation with nano-fertilizers, M.L. Jat noted that their introduction was accompanied by excessive haste, and the generalized communication under the "one bottle versus one bag" scheme became a serious problem, since consumers were not explained the need to use the product at the final stage. According to him, nano-fertilizers have potential provided they are used correctly. Last year, ICAR launched systematic research at 15 sites across the country to obtain reliable evidence. In addition, in more than 100 districts, cases have been identified where farmers use fertilizers in amounts exceeding the application rate by more than twice.

To increase crop yields and reduce dependence on chemistry, M.L. Jat suggested more actively using local raw materials and minerals, such as glauconite, as well as utilizing the Gobardhan scheme to obtain organo-mineral nutrients. According to his estimate, India is capable of replacing a third of chemical fertilizers through organic resources and a competent approach, but this requires appropriate policies or incentives for farmers. He also called biological agents a largely unexplored area whose potential in the country is utilized by less than 0.1 percent.

As part of the recalibration of the fertilizer policy, there is a transition from inefficient subsidies to stimulating efficiency, as well as from import dependence to the maximum use of domestic resources. In addition, ICAR has begun to focus on nutrient efficiency in breeding programs, although previously breeding was focused solely on increasing productivity.