Soil Restoration Made Simple: 6 Practices Every Farmer Can Use to Rebuild Fertility

In India, where agriculture supports a large section of the population, soil health has come under severe stress due to intensive farming, chemical dependency, and erratic weather patterns.

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Depleted soils not only reduce crop yields but also release stored carbon back into the atmosphere, accelerating climate change.

The good news is that farmers, scientists, and communities across the country are turning to practices that restore soil fertility and improve its ability to capture carbon. 

These approaches combine traditional wisdom with modern sustainability, offering hope for healthier farms and a healthier planet.

Here are some of the most effective practices for restoring soil and enhancing carbon capture:

1) Composting and organic manure

One of the simplest yet most effective solutions is returning organic matter to the soil. Composting crop residues, kitchen waste, and farmyard manure creates nutrient-rich humus that improves soil structure, enhances microbial activity, and locks carbon underground.

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana, for example, are increasingly turning away from burning paddy straw and using it for composting instead. This not only prevents pollution but also enriches the soil with long-lasting carbon reserves.

2) Cover crops for soil protection

Leaving land bare between cropping cycles exposes soil to erosion, heat, and nutrient loss. By growing cover crops such as cowpea, clover, or horse gram, farmers can shield the soil from harsh conditions.

These crops fix nitrogen naturally, reduce the need for synthetic chemical fertilisers, and, when incorporated back into the soil, boost organic matter and carbon storage.

3) Agroforestry systems

Agroforestry — the integration of trees with crops or livestock — has long been practised in many Indian villages. Today, it is gaining recognition as a climate-smart farming technique.

Trees such as neem, mango, or moringa not only provide fruits, fodder, and timber but also act as powerful carbon sinks. Their roots stabilise the soil, prevent erosion, and increase moisture retention.

4) Mulching and water conservation

By spreading crop residues, straw, or even biodegradable sheets over fields, farmers reduce water evaporation, suppress weeds, and feed the soil as the mulch decomposes.

Combined with traditional rainwater harvesting methods such as tanks and check dams, mulching ensures that soil remains moist and fertile, helping crops survive extreme heat while storing more carbon underground.

5) Conservation tillage

Conventional ploughing disturbs soil layers, releasing carbon into the atmosphere. Conservation tillage, or zero-tillage, minimises soil disturbance and keeps carbon locked underground.

Farmers can adopt zero-till seed drills to sow wheat directly after rice harvest without burning residues. This not only lowers costs but also enhances soil structure, boosts microbial health, and increases carbon sequestration.

6) Crop rotation and diversification

Monoculture practices (growing the same crop repeatedly) exhaust soil nutrients. By rotating cereals with pulses, oilseeds, or legumes, farmers can restore balance in the soil.

Pulses, for instance, fix atmospheric nitrogen and improve fertility while adding biomass. Crop diversification also reduces pest pressure and provides dietary and income security for farming households.

Together, these practices — composting, cover crops, agroforestry, mulching, conservation tillage, and crop rotation — represent a vital shift from extractive farming to regenerative agriculture.