I was watching a Sadhguru video on YouTube during his Save Soil campaign when one line stayed with me: it takes hundreds of years to form just a handful of healthy soil. As an agriculture student, that shook me. Because the same soil that takes centuries to build is being degraded in just decades and chemical pesticides and herbicides are a big reason why.

A Carbon-Intensive Process

The story of pesticides and herbicides starts long before they hit the fields. Their production is energy-hungry and fossil-fuel driven, pumping out large amounts of CO₂. Globally, pesticide production may account for about 1% of agricultural energy use, but agriculture itself is massive. With every passing year, demand for these chemicals grows, and so does their carbon footprint.

Soil, Farmers, and Biodiversity Under Siege

In India, pesticide use is intensifying. We use around 60,000 tonnes annually, and that figure is growing by nearly 5% each year. Farmers often spray without protective gear, exposing themselves to acute poisoning, long-term health risks, and rising cases of pesticide resistance in pests.

Soil Health Degradation: Chemicals don’t just target pests. They also wipe out beneficial microbes and insects that keep soil alive. Over time, soils lose structure, water-holding ability, and fertility.

Biodiversity Loss: Pollinators like bees and butterflies, crucial for crops, collapse under chemical stress. Runoff contaminates rivers and ponds, affecting fish and aquatic ecosystems. Predator species vanish, leaving farmers trapped in a cycle of spraying more to control pests that no longer have natural enemies.

Impact on Carbon Sequestration

Healthy soils are one of our best carbon sinks. But pesticides weaken this shield.

• Organic Matter Stripped: Chemicals strip soil of carbon-rich organic matter, pushing carbon out instead of storing it.
• Microbes Disrupted: Pesticides silence microbes that lock carbon underground.
• Erosion Amplified: Fragile soils erode easily, washing away carbon-rich topsoil.

Degraded soils flip from climate allies to climate threats.

Sustainable Alternatives We Can Turn To

Farmers don’t have to choose between productivity and sustainability. Smarter choices exist.

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Biological and cultural methods first, chemicals only when essential.
• Organic Farming: Builds soil fertility, protects biodiversity, and reduces chemical dependence.
• Biopesticides: Neem-based sprays, bacteria, and fungi offer safer, eco-friendly control options.

These methods not only protect ecosystems but also reduce farmer exposure to toxic sprays, while making soils more resilient against drought and floods.

Conclusion: Rethinking Our Choices

Chemical pesticides and herbicides gave agriculture a short-term boost, but the long-term costs are too high. They drain carbon, poison biodiversity, and endanger farmer health.

If soil takes centuries to form, we can’t afford to destroy it in decades. Farming must protect soil as much as we protect air and water.