Context

India has evolved from a country reliant on food aid in the 1960s to:

• The world’s largest exporter of rice, and
• The operator of PMGKY, the largest food distribution programme globally.

Despite achieving quantitative food security, India faces a hidden crisis of poor soil health, which undermines both nutritional outcomes and the sustainability of agriculture.

India’s Food Security: From Shortage to Surplus

Historic Transition:

• 1960s: Heavily reliant on U.S. food aid under the PL-480 programme.
• 2024–25: Exported 20.2 million tonnes of rice out of a 61 MT global market.

Food Distribution:

• Under PM-Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY), over 800 million people receive 5 kg of free rice or wheat per month.

Buffer Stock:

• The Food Corporation of India (FCI) holds 57 million tonnes of rice (as of July 1, 2025) — the highest in two decades, and four times the buffer norm of 13.54 MT.

Poverty Reduction:

• The percentage of people living under extreme poverty (earning <$3/day at 2021 PPP) fell from 27.1% in 2011 to 5.3% in 2022.

The Underlying Crisis: Malnutrition Amid Surplus

NFHS-5 (2019–21) Findings:

• 35.5% of children under five are stunted
• 32.1% are underweight
• 19.3% are wasted

This points to a failure in nutritional security, even though caloric needs are met.

Cause: Nutrient-Poor Crops

• Declining soil health results in crops lacking essential micronutrients.
• This leads to micronutrient malnutrition, especially in children.

Soil Degradation: An Unseen Emergency

Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme – 2024 Data:

• Of 8.8 million soil samples tested:
• Only <5% had sufficient Nitrogen (N)
• 40% had adequate Phosphate (P)
• 32% were sufficient in Potash (K)
• Only 20% had enough Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

Importance of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC):

• SOC determines physical, chemical, and biological soil properties, including nutrient retention and fertiliser efficiency.
• Indian Institute of Soil Science recommends 0.50–0.75% SOC as adequate.

Micronutrient Gaps:

• Indian soils are increasingly deficient in:
• Sulphur
• Iron
• Zinc
• Boron
• These deficiencies contribute to stunting and long-term health issues.

Fertiliser Misuse: A Systemic Problem

State-Level Nutrient Imbalance:

• Punjab:
• Nitrogen overused by 61%
• Potash deficient by 89%
• Telangana:
• Nitrogen overused by 54%
• Potash deficient by 82%

Consequences:

• Fertiliser efficiency has plummeted:
• From 1:10 in the 1970s to 1:2.7 in 2015.
• This results in:
• Poor yields
• Soil fatigue
• Declining agricultural productivity

Environmental Impact:

• Only 35–40% of urea-based Nitrogen is absorbed by crops.
• The rest is lost as:
• Nitrous oxide (N₂O) – a greenhouse gas 273 times more potent than CO₂
• Nitrate leaching, contaminating groundwater
• There is also misuse through non-agricultural diversion and illegal cross-border trade.

The Way Forward: Building Nutritional Agriculture

Public Health Linkage:

• Healthy soil is vital for nutrient-rich crops, making it essential not just for agriculture but also for public health.

Strategic Reorientation Needed:

• Shift from generic fertiliser use to:
• Soil-specific, crop-sensitive fertilisation.
• Science-based nutrient management, driven by soil test results.

Collaborative Innovations:

• ICRIER–OCP Nutricrops Partnership:
• Focus on region-specific, data-driven solutions to improve soil and crop nutrition.
• Aims to enhance agricultural productivity sustainably.
• OCP Nutricrops brings advanced expertise in soil fertility and sustainable fertiliser application, contributing to global food security solutions.

Conclusion: Healing the Soil, Nourishing the Nation

India’s impressive food production masks a crisis of soil exhaustion and nutrient-deficient diets.

To ensure nutritional security and agricultural sustainability, India must:

• Rebuild its soil health
• Transition from a focus on calorie output to crop nutrition
• Recognize soil as the foundation of public health, agricultural productivity, and national prosperity