The Role of Soil Organic Carbon in Indian Agriculture
India’s agricultural sector is the backbone of its economy, relying majorly on soil health to ensure sustainable productivity. Among the numerous factors impacting soil quality, soil organic carbon (SOC) emerges as a critical element for ensuring resilient agricultural practices.
Organic Carbon –
Soil organic carbon, derived from decomposed plant and animal matter, is an important component of soil organic matter. This carbon constitutes the largest terrestrial carbon pool and makes soils integral to our planet’s carbon cycling. On a global scale, the top 30 cm of soil contains more carbon than the atmosphere and vegetation combined. It serves as a key indicator of soil health and plays a vital role in soil structure, nutrient cycling, and microbial activity.
Benefits in Indian Agriculture –
- Strengthening Soil Fertility: Organic carbon is a primary source of nutrients for crops and promotes soil fertility by improving nutrient availability and retention for crop growth.
- Improving Soil Structure and Aggregation: Adequate organic carbon levels enhance soil aggregation, leading to better soil structure, water infiltration and root development.
- Water Retention and Drought Resilience: Organic carbon increases the soil’s water-holding capacity, protecting crops against drought stress and supporting overall resilience to moisture changes.
- Promoting Soil Health and Microbial Activity: Organic carbon fosters a diverse microbial community, which is essential for nutrient cycling, disease suppression, and overall soil health.
Challenges and Opportunities –
Despite its significance, organic carbon depletion in Indian soil is a pressing concern due to intensive agricultural practices and land degradation. However, initiatives promoting sustainable agricultural practices such as conservation agriculture, organic farming, and agroforestry offer opportunities to enhance organic carbon levels while fixing soil degradation.
Conclusion –
Organic carbon emerges as an anchor in nurturing soil health, fertility, and productivity in Indian agriculture. Recognizing its many advantages, policy-makers, researchers, and farmers must highlight united efforts to conserve and enhance organic carbon levels. Through the application of soil conservation measures and adoption of sustainable farming practices, India can chart a path towards raised organic carbon levels, ensuring enduring agricultural sustainability and food security.
References: FAO, Bhattacharyya, R. Chakrabarti, K. Kundu, S. Srivastva, A.K. (2017). Soil Organic Carbon (pp. 157-171). Springer, Singapore. 2. Gupta, R. Jangra, A. Arora, V. Choudhury, B.U. (2016). Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 62(8), 1176-1188. 3. Kumar, R. Tiwary, P. Kumar, A. (2020).