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Soil Organic Carbon Decline: Evidence from a Nationwide ICAR Study
An assessment by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) researchers shows that India’s agricultural soils are steadily losing organic carbon, primarily due to imbalanced fertiliser use and rising temperatures linked to climate change.
The six-year study analysed more than 2.5 lakh soil samples collected from 620 districts across 29 States, making it one of the most comprehensive soil carbon assessments conducted in the country.
The findings highlight that soil organic carbon is indicative of soil health and influences nutrient availability, soil physics, biology, and long-term productivity.
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Climate and Topography as Determinants of Soil Carbon
The analysis shows a strong relationship between soil organic carbon and climatic as well as geographic factors.
Organic carbon levels are positively correlated with elevation and negatively correlated with temperature. Higher-altitude regions tend to retain more organic carbon, while hotter lowland regions show depleted levels.
Regions such as Rajasthan and Telangana, with high temperatures, show low organic carbon content in the soil. This reveals the vulnerability of Indian soils under future warming scenarios.
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Cropping Systems and Fertiliser Use Shape Regional Outcomes
Cropping patterns play a decisive role in determining soil carbon levels. Rice-based and pulse-based systems generally retain higher organic carbon compared to wheat and coarse-grain systems, partly due to enhanced microbial activity under wetter soil conditions.
Areas with imbalanced fertiliser application, especially excessive use of nitrogenous fertilisers such as urea combined with phosphorus, show significant declines in soil organic carbon. Intensively farmed regions in north-western India (such as Haryana, Punjab, and western UP) show this trend, while areas with relatively balanced nutrient management display healthier soil carbon content.
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Implications for Climate Change, Land Degradation, and Policy
Lower carbon levels reduce the soil’s ability to absorb heat, thereby increasing surface heat reflection and potentially increasing local warming. This reveals a link between soil degradation and climate risks.
To support policy planning, researchers have made the following suggestions:
- The researchers developed an agro-ecological base map covering 20 regions. It will help in assessing the impact of cropping systems and fertiliser use.
- All the soils must be covered with crops.
- Establishment of a large number of plantations.
- Promotion of organic carbon sequestration where the carbon content in soil is less than 0.25%.
- Incentivise farmers who trap more CO2 from the soil and convert it into organic carbon.
- Explore crop management options for climate change mitigation.
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DhruvStar Industry Insights: What It Means for the Agriculture Sector
1) Fertiliser Policy Design
Nutrient subsidies and agricultural advisories must look beyond yields and move toward soil health. Long-term soil health must be integrated into fertiliser policies.
2) Carbon Markets Need Ground-Truth Data
High-resolution soil carbon mapping can provide a credible base for agricultural carbon credits. Governments should first accurately map soil carbon at the district level before launching large carbon-credit schemes, so that farmers are paid for real improvements.
3) Climate Adaptation Starts Below the Surface
Soil organic carbon management should be an integral part of the climate adaptation strategy, especially in heat-stressed agricultural regions.
Sources
[1] The Hindu
This study clearly shows the importance of soil organic carbon for sustainable agriculture. Helpful insights by ICAR.😊
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