OUR BHUMI, OUR RESPONSIBILITY

COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the context and the increases need in food production will have to be achieved with the same or fewer inputs under conditions of widespread land degradation, food loss, and waste, increasing competition for both land and water, and the uncertainties of climate change.

- Partha Pratim Mazumder

To increase its rural outreach across India, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS) launched a Bhumi Suposhan Abhiyan (land nutrition campaign) across the states. The RSS has planned a special campaign to help farmers and citizens increase the fertility of their land, which will increase their production also. The continuous use of chemical fertilizers depletes essential soil nutrients and minerals that are naturally found in fertile soil. When chemical fertilizers are used, they do not help replenish soil nutrients and its fertility contrary to the popular belief but replenish only nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. As per science, phosphorous does not dissolve in water and its overuse may cause hardening of soil.

Likewise, alkaline fertilizers like sodium-nitrate develop alkalinity in soil reducing its fertility and making it barren. So to say, soil fertility and vegetation depend much on the balanced supply of essential nutrients and minerals. As such, overuse of specific nutrients may cause an imbalance in the supply of soil nutrients further resulting in soil degradation and the loss of equilibrium of a stable soil.

Though chemical fertilizers help plants grow faster, plants, however, are not healthy and strong as plants grown in that manner do not have enough time to mature to develop good root growth, strong stems, or nutritious fruits and vegetables. Even they will be less likely to survive because they will be more susceptible to pests and diseases as they lack a good immune system and enough resistance against these forces.