For decades, Indian agriculture has delivered impressive gains in food production. Yet, this success has quietly eroded the very foundation on which farming depends: healthy soil. As climate variability intensifies and food demand continues to rise, the long-standing strategy of increasing chemical fertiliser use is reaching its limits. Ensuring long-term food security now requires a shift towards Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), an approach that balances chemical inputs with organic matter and biological processes to restore soil vitality.
The silent crisis beneath Indian farms
Indian agriculture is dominated by small and marginal holdings, many of which rely heavily on nitrogen-based fertilisers. Over time, imbalanced nutrient application and repeated monocropping have degraded soil structure and fertility. Large tracts now suffer from multi-nutrient deficiencies, particularly of sulphur, zinc and boron.
As soil health deteriorates, factor productivity declines. Farmers are forced to apply increasing quantities of fertilisers merely to maintain past yield levels. This raises costs, reduces profitability and makes crops more vulnerable to droughts and erratic rainfall—risks that are becoming more frequent under Indian climatic conditions.
What Integrated Nutrient Management really means
Integrated Nutrient Management is not a rejection of chemical fertilisers. Rather, it advocates their precise and need-based use in combination with organic and biological inputs. The objective is to maintain soil fertility while sustaining crop productivity over the long term.
INM typically integrates:
- Chemical fertilisers applied according to soil requirements
- Organic manures such as farmyard manure, compost, vermicompost and green manure
- Bio-fertilisers like Rhizobium, Azotobacter and mycorrhizae that enhance nutrient availability
- Crop residues recycled back into fields to build organic carbon
The three dimensions of soil health
The effectiveness of INM lies in its impact on all three pillars of soil health.
Physically, INM improves soil structure and water-holding capacity. In rainfed regions, healthier soil behaves like a sponge, retaining moisture longer during dry spells.
Chemically, balanced nutrient application corrects pH levels and ensures that macro- and micronutrients remain available to plant roots rather than being locked in the soil or lost through leaching.
Biologically, INM stimulates microbial activity and earthworm populations. These organisms play a critical role in nutrient cycling, especially in intensive cropping systems such as rice–wheat belts and sugarcane regions.
Translating INM from policy to the field
The challenge lies in adapting INM to local conditions. National initiatives such as the “” provide a scientific foundation by recommending fertiliser use based on soil testing rather than guesswork.
Key field-level practices include split application of nitrogen to match crop growth stages and the use of slow-release inputs like neem-coated urea. Simple tools such as the Leaf Colour Chart help farmers decide the timing of urea application in rice, reducing waste and environmental runoff. Integrating legumes into crop rotations further enhances natural nitrogen fixation and system productivity.
Economic and agronomic benefits for farmers
Evidence from long-term field trials across India consistently shows that combining fertilisers with organic inputs delivers higher and more stable yields than chemical fertilisers alone. For farmers, the gains are practical and measurable:
- Lower input costs through partial substitution of costly fertilisers with on-farm organic resources
- Greater resilience to climate stress due to improved root growth and soil structure
- Better crop quality, particularly where micronutrients like zinc and iron are restored
INM and India’s sustainability goals
Beyond individual farms, Integrated Nutrient Management aligns with broader national priorities. By reducing nutrient losses through volatilisation and leaching, INM lowers environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It also slows the long-term “mining” of soils that threatens future productivity.
What to note for Prelims?
- Integrated Nutrient Management combines chemical, organic and biological inputs
- Multi-nutrient deficiencies are widespread in Indian soils
- Soil Health Card Scheme promotes soil-test-based fertiliser use
- Neem-coated urea improves nitrogen-use efficiency
What to note for Mains?
- Explain how soil degradation affects factor productivity in agriculture
- Discuss the role of Integrated Nutrient Management in climate-resilient farming
- Analyse the economic benefits of INM for small and marginal farmers
- Evaluate INM as a tool for sustainable agriculture and food security
India’s agricultural future cannot rest on endlessly increasing chemical inputs. Treating soil as a living system—one that requires balance rather than excess—is essential. Integrated Nutrient Management offers a scalable, science-based pathway to restore soil health while feeding a growing nation sustainably.
