Soil erosion and land degradation are led by frequent floods and droughts which are the prime reasons of low productivity in land areas. Poor soil conservation practices, lack of technology transfer, and low-yielding crop varieties are further degrading soil fertility status of land under rainfed farming. In general, crops grown on rainfed soils are highly prone to drought stress and multi-nutrient deficiencies, because these are coarse-textured soils of low water and nutrient retention capacity, low soil organic matter (SOM) content with less aggregate stability. Mono-cropping of staple crops and mining of essential nutrients from soil have caused nutrient imbalance and deterioration of soil quality. Degrading soils, accelerating soil erosion, depleting soil fertility, decreasing soil moisture-holding capacity, depleting ground water table, and increasing multiple nutrient deficiencies lead to low crop yields and perpetuate rural poverty.

Soil degradation is a pervasive, systemic phenomenon and an urgent priority in order to ensure human wellbeing, protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. Agriculture sector is frequently affected by soil loss resulting into unproductive soil and lowered crop yields. This article focuses on critical sustainable challenges of Indian agriculture, soil degradation status and mitigation strategies as well as policies and management response options in respect of development of degraded lands. It also provides policymakers with the necessary information to develop appropriate mitigation technologies at the local, regional and national scale.

Even though, the economic and agricultural growth in South Asia has improved in recent times, still food security and malnutrition is the biggest concern in these countries. Poverty in Asia is influenced by food insecurity, population densities, small land holdings and climate changes which also influence nutritional status. The present paper focuses on the concerns related to food, nutritional security and soil health issues in South Asian countries with special emphasis on cause and effects of soil related constraints and strategies to be adopted to manage and alleviate the problem. Some of the important soil health management strategies viz., site specific nutrient management (SSNM), integrated nutrient management (INM), crop residue recycling, and use of compost, vermicompost, and soil health card based interventions are promising in South Asian condition. National level policy interventions are needed to promote sustainable use of soil and water resources include prohibiting residue burning, reducing deforestation, promoting integrated farming systems and facilitating payments for ecosystem services. A wide spread adoption of these measures can improve soil quality and agronomic productivity of fragile and degraded ecosystems.