Titled “Vardaan: Nurturing Soil Health Through Nature-Based Crop Nutrition”, the initiative focuses on addressing challenges associated with phosphate availability in agricultural soils.
Phosphate plays an important role in root development, energy transfer and plant growth. However, interactions within the soil can make a significant portion of applied phosphate unavailable to plants. This can limit nutrient absorption despite fertiliser application, highlighting the need for approaches that improve phosphate availability while supporting the biological processes responsible for maintaining soil fertility.
Vardaan adopts a biological approach to phosphate nutrition, combining phosphate solubilisation, beneficial microorganisms and essential nutrients. Developed by Sri Sri Naisargik, the product is intended for farmers exploring alternatives to conventional DAP-centred fertiliser practices while seeking to maintain soil health and sustainable agricultural productivity.
Vardaan is a phosphate-rich organic manure manufactured using cold-pressed technology, which is designed to preserve beneficial microbial activity. Its formulation contains 14 microbial consortia that support phosphate solubilisation by helping convert certain forms of otherwise unavailable phosphate into forms that plants can absorb.
Unlike conventional fertilisers, which primarily supply nutrients directly, biological inputs such as Vardaan support the natural processes through which nutrients become available to plants. This provides farmers with another option to consider when balancing crop nutrition requirements with soil restoration.
Fertiliser efficiency also has implications for farm economics. With cultivation costs rising and the need to maintain crop productivity continuing, effective nutrient management remains an important consideration. When applied phosphate becomes unavailable to crops, its potential nutritional benefits may be limited. Improving nutrient availability and supporting biological activity in the soil can help enhance nutrient-use efficiency.
Vardaan is designed to be applied during soil preparation or the early stages of crop growth to support root establishment and plant development. It can be incorporated into farming practices across cereals, pulses and horticultural crops, subject to crop-specific recommendations.
As an organic biological input, Vardaan may form part of an integrated nutrient management strategy. However, its use as an alternative to DAP should take into account soil-test results, crop nutrient requirements, phosphate availability and agronomic guidance to ensure adequate crop nutrition.
The product's approach also focuses on the broader importance of soil health. Healthy soil functions as a living ecosystem in which microorganisms, organic matter, minerals, water and plant roots interact to support nutrient cycling and crop growth. Intensive cultivation and declining soil organic carbon can disrupt these processes, making the maintenance of soil health an important consideration for sustainable agriculture.
Through its emphasis on nutrient availability, beneficial microbial activity and soil vitality, Vardaan promotes a nature-based approach to crop nutrition. The product is part of The Art of Living – Sri Sri Naisargik's broader commitment to soil restoration and sustainable agricultural practices.
As India enters another rabi season, farmers will continue to assess fertiliser choices based on crop performance, input costs and soil conditions. Biological inputs such as Vardaan offer an additional approach within a balanced crop nutrition programme.
The broader objective is to combine adequate crop nutrition with agricultural practices that support soil vitality, improve nutrient-use efficiency and strengthen resilience. This approach recognises that soil fertility depends not only on the quantity of nutrients applied but also on the biological processes that determine their availability to crops.
About The Art of Living – Sri Sri Naisargik
As a flagship initiative of The Art of Living, Sri Sri Naisargik is an innovation-led enterprise developing sustainable, nature-based and technology-enabled solutions for environmental protection, resource recovery, rural development and climate resilience.
Its portfolio addresses land, water, air and odour pollution mitigation, along with solid waste management, through practical solutions combining innovation with measurable environmental, economic and social impact.
Website: https://srisrinaisargik.com/
Email: executiveoffice@projects.artofliving.org
Phone: +91 9036 254 532
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