Unlocking Soil Health: Boosting Crop Yields & Nutrition

In an exclusive interaction with Thiruamuthan, Correspondent, Industry Outlook, Sanjiv Kanwar, Managing Director of Yara South Asia, discusses how precision farming, fertigation, targeted micronutrients, and phygital models can transform India’s fragmented farms by improving soil health, productivity, nutrition, and resilience, highlighting the critical role of technology and balanced crop management in strengthening smallholder farming systems.

India's fragmental farms continue to limit yields. Given this, how effectively is precision farming agriculture delivering measurable productivity gains for millions of smallholder farmers?

When we look at precision agriculture, it is a data-driven approach to farm management, which uses inputs from GPS, remote sensing, and nutrients application. With this automated process, the right amount of nutrition and resources can be provided to the crop at the precise time and in individual sections within a field.

For example, while growing tomatoes, it's not necessary that the tomato field would have an even spread of nutrients in the soil. Some patches may have more nitrogen, others more phosphates. With remote sensing and GPS applications, one can deliver the nutrients that are required to the patch of land where it is exactly required and effective.

This could lead to reduced application of nutrients, improved soil health, and better productivity. But to implement precision agriculture at scale, it will take India some time. To obtain real-time data on subjects like moisture, nutrient levels, pests, and plant health, an extensive inputs are required, particularly data collection via satellites, drones, and sensors.

Startups are offering this service, particularly in horticulture products like grapes. But there is a challenge in scaling it, because India has 140 million hectares of land and 140 million farmers. We need a mix of technology and human inputs, and the best way is to expand fertigation as a first step for scaling up.

Currently, fertigation has roughly 10 million hectares, showing potential to reach 50 million in the nearest future. It is notable that fertigation reduces water use and delivers water-soluble fertilizers, improving soil health and productivity. Our focus should be on reaching 40 to 50 million hectares under fertigation in the next five to seven years. This will improve productivity, food quality, soil health, and farm incomes, and then farmers can move to the next level of precision agriculture.

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How can technology combined with a social science make agriculture more climate resilient and sustainable?

Technology, when combined with soil science will make agriculture climate resilient and sustainable. Precision agriculture would come take effect, where we use sensors and AI to optimize resources like water and fertilizers, depending on soil conditions. It’s all about real-time monitoring, getting data from sensors and IoT on soil moisture, nutrient level, and field conditions. Is it hot or cold? Are we seeing pest attacks or deficiencies? AI could analyze this data and predict issues like water stress or disease outbreaks.

For example, if we get data from the meteorological department for the last few years and map it with pest attacks in that period, AI modeling could predict that when humidity reaches a certain level, pest or disease attacks occur. That data could help farmers take preemptive action.

This information also helps optimize inputs — water, fertilizers, and pesticides — and only when needed. That’s how technology would help, using data and modeling to predict the future from the past. Farmers would benefit by reducing cost and improving productivity.

Why is targeted micronutrient application like zinc, iron, boron or sulphur, is critical for boosting both soil health and human nutrition?

When we look at the soil health map of India, there are two micronutrients where we are really struggling — zinc and boron. We also have many pockets with iron and sulphur deficiencies. To propagate a healthy crop, 17 nutrients are required, and there is a chance for the productivity to go down even if one or two are missing.

Traditionally, farmers focus on NPK and sulphur, but not enough micronutrients. When these are not delivered, yield and nutrient content are negatively impacted. Almost 40 percent of India’s children below the age of five are deficient in zinc, and many cases of stunting are linked to poor soil health and poor replenishment of micronutrients.

When micronutrients are part of the crop nutrition plan, plant enzymes and cell wall formation improve, plants turn healthier, and yields go up. About 5 to 7 percent of India’s yields are lower simply because micronutrients are not used enough. India’s cereal productivity is 40 to 50 percent lower than top-producing countries — for example, corn yields are 10–11 tons per hectare in the US, but only 3.5 to 4 tons in India.

Another notable factor about micronutrients, it will also improve stress resistance under tough agroclimatic conditions. If soil is not replenished, there is a chance for degradation which can lead to deficiencies and impact the food quality. Thus, micronutrients must be an integral part of crop nutrition strategy, helping farmers produce better quality crops, higher yields, and improved returns.

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How can phygital models ensure that smallholder farmers, even in remote areas, benefit from customized nutrient advisories?

Phygital combines physical and digital approaches, and India has about 140 million farmers. Farmers need knowledge delivered in a time-bound manner, but connecting with all of them at once is extremely difficult.

No matter what we do, there is no way to reach 140 million farmers. For example, if villages growing paddy need a nutrient at the tillering stage but nobody can reach them physically, the best way is digital—WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, or company apps like Yara’s Farmcare, connected to about 5 million farmers. That acts as a force multiplier. If digital routes are tapped successfully, farmers receive knowledge to take informed decisions and improve crop productivity. 

Ultimately, crops will depend on soil for nutrients, but excess nitrogen use due to subsidy will degrade soil health. Factors such as soil pH, EC, and OC are not in the right range can lead to nutrient uptake, productivity, and yield quality. Therefore, balanced crop nutrition is imperative delivering the right nutrients at the right stage. If every farmer applies the right level and quality without harming soil health, farm productivity will ramp up and India could be an agriculture powerhouse.

Currently, Indian farm productivity is 40 to 50 percent lower in cereals compared to the best countries. With the right tools and knowledge, farmers can significantly increase productivity.