Soil Health Card: All you need to know about the project of Narendra Modi to help famers

Soil Health Card will help in identifying the type of fertilizer required for the soil and the crops and thus increase productivity of the land and individual farmer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch his maiden project called the ‘Soil Health Card’ (SHC) scheme in Suratgarh town in Rajasthan which will help famers better understand the use of nutrients, fertilizers and improve productivity of soil. According to Rajasthan Agriculture minister, Prabhu Lal Saini it is a very ambitious scheme which will help in better growth of crops. The card will help in identifying the type of fertilizer required for the soil and the crops and thus increase productivity of the land and individual farmer. Major initiatives of Modi government (To go with Six months of Modi rule)

The scheme has now been implemented after realizing the fact that condition of soil is becoming a major factor in decline in the production of the land. Another concerns include imbalanced use of fertilisers, low addition of organic matter and non-replacement of depleted micro and secondary nutrients over the years.

Soil Health Card in a Mission mode

Soil health needs to be assessed at regular intervals so as to ensure that farmers apply the required nutrients while taking advantages of the nutrients already present in the soil. Government has launched this scheme to provide every farmer a Soil Health Card in a Mission mode. The card will carry crop wise recommendations of nutrients/fertilizers required for farms, making it possible for farmers to improve productivity by using appropriate inputs.

Uses of a Soil Health Card

A Soil Health Card is used to assess the current status of soil health and, when used over time, to determine changes in soil health that are affected by land management. A Soil Health Card displays soil health indicators and associated descriptive terms. The indicators are typically based on farmers’ practical experience and knowledge of local natural resources. The card lists soil health indicators that can be assessed without the aid of technical or laboratory equipment

Soil Testing Laboratories

Central Government provides assistance to State Governments for setting up Soil Testing Laboratories for issuing Soil Health Cards to farmers. State Governments have adopted innovative practices like involvement of agricultural students, NGOs and private sector in soil testing, determining average soil health of villages, etc., to issue Soil Health Cards.

Pan Indian Plan

Though quite a few states including Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana are successfully distributing such cards, Centre plans to make it a pan India effort. According to the data, up to March 2012 over 48 crore soil health cards have been issued to farmers to make them aware about nutrient deficiencies in their fields. Tamil Nadu has started issuing soil health cards from the year 2006 onwards. There are 30 Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) and 18 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories functioning in the State. The Laboratory at Kudumianmalai, Pudukottai District has been declared as central laboratory and it monitors quality of analysis in all laboratories.

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has developed software – DESSIFER which is used by the STLs for online issue of soil heath cards and also in formulating fertilizer use recommendations.

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