Soil Management in Sustainable Agriculture: Principles and Techniques

The livelihoods and food security of millions of small-scale farmers in South Asia are currently under threat caused by anthropogenic soil degradation. The last few decades have seen a growth in crop production, but this has come with a number of drawbacks, including a drop in partial factor productivity, deterioration of the soil, environmental contamination, and an increase in GHG emissions. Reasons are improper agronomic management, non-judicious use of agri-inputs and lack of awareness and knowledge. This chapter highlights the prospects and challenges of better soil management interventions on crop productivity, profitability and environmental security. Furthermore, we also critically review the key drivers and indicators of soil health, carbon dynamics and pathways of scaling ecosystem services. Regenerative agriculture has the potential to feed the world an increased amount of nutrient-rich foods through an inclusive approach. Nature-based solutions must be widespread and integrate with traditional indigenous knowledge for ecosystem management. Soil health is of core significance and directly reflects countries’ prosperity; therefore, we all should conserve and protect our soils from further degradation to achieve SDGs.