Concerned about the declining fertility of agricultural land caused by the excessive use of chemical fertilisers and continuous intensive foodgrain cultivation, the agriculture department has launched a district-wide ‘Save Farmland’ campaign in Prayagraj to promote sustainable farming practices and enhance soil health.A group of women farmers working in a field at a village in the Soraon area of Prayagraj. (FOR REPRESENTATION)The campaign, which commenced on Thursday, will continue until June 30 across 98 gram panchayats. Teams of agricultural scientists and officials from the agriculture department and allied agencies have been deployed to raise awareness among farmers about balanced nutrient management, soil conservation, and scientific farming practices, district officials said.Soil tests conducted across the district have revealed a significant decline in essential nutrients. According to assistant director of the Regional Soil Testing Laboratory, Piyush Rai, the levels of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in many fields have dropped below the minimum benchmark of 0.5%, indicating a deterioration in soil health.“The findings have raised concerns among both the government and agricultural scientists. Timely intervention is essential to prevent fertile farmland from turning unproductive,” Rai said.Deputy director of agriculture Pawan Kumar Vishwakarma said the campaign aims to discourage indiscriminate use of urea and other chemical fertilisers and encourage farmers to adopt scientific nutrient-management practices.A key focus of the drive is soil testing and expansion of the soil health card programme. Nearly 46,000 farmers in the district have been issued soil health cards so far. Five soil-testing centres have been set up across the district, while additional parameters are analysed at the soil conservation laboratory at the district headquarters.Officials said excessive fertiliser use is not only raising cultivation costs but also damaging beneficial soil microorganisms. Farmers are being encouraged to adopt biological inputs such as Trichoderma, green manure and organic fertilisers, along with water-saving technologies including drip and sprinkler irrigation.The department has also engaged 24 Krishi Sakhis to strengthen awareness efforts at the village level.MP Singh, scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, said the initiative could help reduce dependence on imported chemical fertilisers and promote long-term agricultural sustainability.