Soil Friendly Farming

Soil is the foundation of agriculture. And agriculture has been the foundation of human civilisations, providing food and resources necessary for survival and allowing societies to flourish and develop. Often overlooked, soil is one of the most underappreciated of things. But it plays a crucial role in sustaining plant life and is essential for food production. President Ramchandra Paudel has rightly stressed the need for soil-friendly farming, explaining the criticality of modernising traditional agricultural practices to produce enough food to feed and nourish the country's population. 

For this, the President stated that farmers should opt for soil-friendly farming that aligns with altitude. Agricultural yield is determined by the soil conditions, which is heavily influenced by climatic conditions linked with altitudes. Giving due attention to this fact in a country marked by altitudinal variations can well mean harnessing the blessings of nature. President Paudel also rightly pointed out the necessity of agricultural revolution that creates plenty of jobs in the sector and checks youth exodus, as well as lays the foundation of development. 

Yet, soil crisis is brewing in many regions of the world. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN warned in 2022 that 90 per cent of the Earth’s topsoil would be at risk by 2050. Topsoil is the layer of soil that contains the most organic matter and is the most fertile. It supports the growth of plants, which in turn provide habitat and food for other organisms. Its erosion means soil turning less fertile and reduced agricultural productivity, as well as decline of ecosystem nurtured by it. According to the UN, soil erosion may reduce 10 per cent of global crop yields by 2050. That crop loss is equivalent to removing millions of acres of farmland. In fact, a few centimetres of topsoil breathes life into all life forms inhabiting Earth and sustains biodiversity. Once that is gone, they will go, too.

In our context, sustainable farming underpinned by healthy soil and boosting agricultural productivity has become more urgent than ever, given our ballooning agricultural import, which hovered around Rs. 300 billion in this past fiscal year 2022/23, and skyrocketing food prices. When a necessity as basic as food forms the bulk of a country's import, prosperity remains a distant dream. Sustainable agriculture practice is crucial to produce good yields. Soil degradation resulting from poor agricultural practices coupled with climate-induced factors like changing rainfall patterns have put soil under enormous stress. 

Sustainable agriculture promotes crop diversity by encouraging the cultivation of multiple crops in the same area, a practice essential to enhance soil health, reduce pests and diseases, and combat climate change. It is also the bedrock of organic and environmentally friendly food production system. Additionally, diverse crops contribute to food security, provide habitat for beneficial organisms, and preserve traditional farming knowledge. 

Such a practice also goes a long way not only to promote soil health, conserve water resources and biodiversity but also protect environment and address climate concerns. Alarmed by the exacerbating soil crisis and the looming food insecurity, many people are joining campaigns to save the precious resource. Soil is degrading at a far higher rate than it can be replenished back to health condition. So, saving it has become so urgent. This is because to create an inch of soil, it takes 500 to a thousand years, but losing it takes no time.