BENGALURU: Experts have expressed concern that soil quality has become a serious matter of concern in urban and agrarian areas, because its nutrient content and water holding capacity is drastically deteriorating.
One of the components that determines good soil quality is the presence of organic carbon. According to soil experts, the current value of organic carbon in soil is around 0.33%. It is less than the accepted standard value of 0.5–0.75% per 100 grams of soil.
“At present, the overall organic carbon value of soil in most of the places is less than the required minimum for it to be termed as healthy. Organic carbon helps increase soil richness. It is also an essential binding agent that helps ensure that vital nutrients are in balance,” said Dr R Krishna Murthy, a professor at the GKVK and a soil fertility and nutrient management expert.
This is one of the findings by researchers conducting a soil study in Karnataka. So far, 25 lakh hectares of soil has been studied. The study is being conducted by teams from World Bank, all agricultural universities of Karnataka, watershed department and ICAR – National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning. The study began in 2022 and is expected to end by March 2026. The final report is scheduled to be submitted to the state and Union governments in June 2026.
“Soil quality is good in Ghat regions, forest areas or places where protected organic farming is being practised. But reports show a decline in overall soil quality, particularly organic carbon, in many regions. The only way to increase it is by reducing the use of chemical and inorganic fertilisers and increasing the use of organic fertilisers.
Soil fertility started to change after the green revolution. Many farmers do not use organic fertilisers because of their high cost. The presence of organic carbon is the essential base for maintaining balance of 17 soil nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, sulphur, manganese, copper, boron and chlorine,” he added.
Experts working on the report said this is the first of its kind study being undertaken, hence there is no baseline for comparison. Basic required standards and international norms are kept as the baseline for calculation while making the report. This study will help in future planning of how and where agriculture, horticulture, irrigation, urbanisation and infrastructure projects should be executed.
World Soil Day
The day is being observed on December 5 since 2014 to create awareness on the importance of soil to sustain life on Earth. The theme for the year 2025 is ‘Healthy soil for healthy cities’.
