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 India now produces 330 million tonnes of food grains annually, contributing significantly to global food trade and generating $50 billion in export earnings”, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday.

Addressing the ‘Global Soils Conference 2024’ in the national capital via videoconferencing, the agriculture minister said the government is committed to supporting initiatives that ensure sustainable and profitable agriculture, resilient ecosystems and food security for all.

Chouhan also highlighted that increasing use and dependence on chemical fertilisers, indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources and unstable weather have put pressure on the soil.

“Today India's soil is facing a major health crisis. According to many studies, 30 per cent of our soil has been spoiled. Soil erosion, salinity, and pollution are reducing the level of essential nitrogen and micronutrients in the soil. The lack of organic carbon in soil has weakened its fertility and resilience,” the minister told the gathering.

These challenges not only affect production but will also create livelihood and food crises for farmers in the times to come.

“The government has taken many initiatives for soil conservation which leads to higher soil fertility. ‘Making Soil Health Card’ was started in 2015 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More than 220 million cards have been made and given to farmers,” the minister informed.

Under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana-Per Drop More Crop,’ the government has focused on judicious use of water, reducing wastage and reducing peak nutrient residues.

“To maintain soil fertility, integrated nutrient and water management methods will have to be adopted. We should take all measures to improve soil health, reduce soil erosion and water storage capacity through various methods like micro irrigation, crop diversification, agro-forestry etc,” said the minister.

The role of solution and extension systems of scientific innovations on a war footing is important, he added.

“We are also going to start ‘Modern Agriculture Chaupal’ soon, in which scientists will continuously discuss with the farmers and give information and also solve the problems. Apart from this, private and NGO-led extension services have brought advanced technology to the farmers and farmers are now taking advantage of it,” Chouhan noted.