The Role of Soil Health in Enhancing Agricultural Profitability: An Economic Perspective

Abstract

This paper also demonstrates that the health of the soil is central to improving the profitability of agricultural enterprises in economic terms. Hence, sustainable agriculture practices like conservation tillage and other compatible practices, organic farming and more techniques like vermicomposting and biochar application etc. have become inevitable in the Indian Scenario for maintaining resilience of the soil and for enhancing productivity. Out of the Government of India’s Soil Health Card launched in 2015, one can see how the use of soil test-based fertilizers is greatly encouraged, improving further the profitability of agriculture. Such as in Andhra Pradesh, evaluating various aspects of the enhanced method of monitoring of soil health and its parameters reveals promising results which have a positive impact on the state’s agriculture and farmers. A study identifies reduction in minimum soil tillage, retention of crop residue, and differential nitrogen replacement on the yield and profitability of crops. Moreover, initiatives like Agrivoltaics have started to surface in the effective management of Climate Smart Agriculture in diverse climates and uncertain monsoons. Signing legislation and applying the concepts of the market incentive affect the improvement of the soil quality for the enhancement of sustainable agricultural production and income. When such practices are adopted, the Indian farmers and the country in general will be in a better position to improve fertility of the soils, increasing crop yields and equally resulting to better positioned economic stability to the backbone of the economy the agricultural industry.