Soils through the Lens of Prakriti, Sanskriti, Niyat and Niti

摘要

Soil is a wondrous gift of prakriti (nature). Man started utilizing soil for agriculture, since the last 10,000 years. The first use was cultivating soil 'in the nature's way'. Indigenous farming systems were based on area extensive practices. With population growth, modern agriculture shifted towards intensive soil farming. It employed input responsive crop varieties, fertilizers, irrigation and science-based farming practices. This transformation maintained the flow of productivity growth (-3%) for the first 20 years or so and tumbled (-1%) sharply thereafter. A critical analysis of the developing situation on yield growth fiasco points out those energy-packed inputs like fertilisers, irrigation water and standard agronomic practices remain indispensable even today. Major cause is the non-adoption of holistic management leading to degradation of soil health as confirmed by falling efficiency of fertilizer and water use. Other reason of debacle is the weakening extension system. Short comings of the present day technology transfer apparatus have been elucidated by the NSSO 69th and 79th Rounds of 2005 and 2014 reports. This treatise clearly brings out that non-sustainable development of agriculture is the outcome of ongoing decline in soil health, loss of water in quantity and quality, biodiversity depletion and climate change. Fragmented approach in maintaining a balance of economic benefits of a technology and environmental outcomes contributed to falling productivity growth of agriculture. India's draft National Land Utilization Policy 2013 (NLUP) document is a step in that direction. It espouses sustainable development in all its aspects. It is also highlighted that minimization of soil health, water quality and climate change related problems is possible, if natural resource conservation measures are community based and an effective technology transfer mechanism is put in place.