UPSC DAW Mains Answer Writing 2025 5th August

UPSC DAW Mains Answer Writing 2025 5th August

Question

Discuss the challenges in promoting the sustainable and balanced use of fertilizers in India. How have recent government initiatives addressed these challenges? (15 marks, 250 words)  

Model Answer

Introduction: 

  • Fertilizers have played a vital role in India’s agricultural growth, especially after the Green Revolution. However, imbalanced usage, primarily excessive application of nitrogenous fertilizers like urea, has led to environmental degradation and declining soil fertility.  

 Challenges in Promoting Sustainable and Balanced Use of Fertilizers 

  • Price Distortion:  

  • Disproportionate subsidies, especially on urea, incentivize its overuse and disrupt the ideal N:P:K nutrient balance. 

  • E.g.  India's actual NPK ratio (9.8:3.7:1 in Kharif 2024) deviates significantly from the recommended 4:2:1 ratio. 

  • Soil Nutrient Imbalance:   

  • Deficiency of micronutrients like zinc, boron, and sulphur is rising. 

  • E.g.  A study by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) found over 35% of soils deficient in zinc. 

  • Lack of Awareness:  

  • Farmers often apply fertilizers uniformly, without soil-specific recommendations. 

  • E.g. In Bareilly (UP), only 40% of farmers had Soil Health Cards, limiting scientific fertilizer use. 

  • Fragmented Land Holdings:  

  • Small and scattered plots prevent economies of scale for precision agriculture or soil mapping.  

  • E.g. The average landholding for farming among farmers in the country decreased from 1.08 hectares in 2016-17 to just 0.74 hectares in 2021-22 

  • Inefficient Subsidy Delivery:  

  • Leakages and delays in subsidy transfer hinder timely access and promote black marketing. 

  • E.g. Urea leakage leading to a subsidy loss of around Rs 6000 Crore per year.  

 Government Initiatives to Promote Sustainable and Balanced Use of Fertilizers 

  • Nano Fertilizer Initiatives: 

  • Government is promoting nano fertilizers like nano urea and nano DAP to enhance nutrient efficiency, reduce fertilizer use, and minimize environmental harm. 

  • E.g. Fertilizer companies have sold 10.68 crore bottles (500 ml each) of Nano Urea and 2.75 crore bottles (500 ml each) of Nano DAP. 

  • PM-PRANAM Scheme:  

  • Aims to preserve the health of Mother Earth through the promotion of sustainable & balanced fertilizer use, adoption of alternative fertilizers, and promotion of organic farming. 

  • E.g. Under PM-PRANAM, 14 states have shown a reduction of 15.14 LMT in the consumption of chemical fertilizers during FY 2023-24 as compared to the average consumption of the previous 3 financial years. 

  • Technological Advancements:  

  • Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS): Enables real-time digital tracking of fertilizer movement from production to retailers, improving stock monitoring and supply chain efficiency. 

  • Mobile Fertilizer Management System (mFMS): Provides online services like dealer registration, stock tracking, and access to Management Information System (MIS) and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) reports, enhancing fertilizer distribution and farmer access. 

  • Soil Health Card Scheme: 

  • Provides farmers with regular soil test-based crop-wise fertilizer recommendations every 2 years to optimize nutrient use. 

  • International Fertilizer Agreements: 

  • India is securing long-term global deals to ensure stable supply and affordability of essential fertilizers.  

  •  E.g. MoU with Saudi Arabia ensures 3.1 million MT annually for five years starting from the financial year 2025–26. 

      Conclusion: 

  • India’s efforts to ensure sustainable fertilizer use through reforms, farmer awareness, and tech-driven monitoring align with SDG-2 (Zero Hunger), SDG-12 (Responsible Consumption & Production), and SDG-15 (Life on Land), fostering agricultural productivity without compromising environmental health.