Soil Health Card
The Context
The Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme is an initiative to assess the nutrient status of soils across the country. The scheme aims to provide soil health cards to farmers, which contain detailed information about the nutrient content and health status of their soil. These cards are intended to help farmers make informed decisions about the appropriate use of fertilisers and other agricultural inputs to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. Soil samples were collected for parameters such as pH levels, organic carbon content, etc. based on the results personalised Soil health Cards are prepared. This scheme is also implemented through a digital platform where farmers can access their soil health cards online and receive recommendations via mobile applications and web portals.
Objectives
- To promote judicious use of chemical fertilisers including secondary and micro nutrients in conjunction with organic manures, bio-fertilisers for improving soil health and its productivity.
- To ensure quality control requirements of fertilisers, bio-fertilisers and organic fertilisers.
Activities
- Strengthening of soil and fertiliser testing facilities is focused upon to provide soil test based recommendations to farmers for improving soil fertility.
- Capacity building and skill development of extension staff and farmers through training and demonstrations; promoting organic farming practices etc. is also provided.
Key Pre-requisites
- Establishment of comprehensive soil health assessment methodologies
- Integration of digital platforms for data collection and analysis
- Allocation of financial resources for establishment of soil testing labs
- Development of standardized protocols for soil sampling and testing
- Adoption of information dissemination strategies for farmer awareness
An example showcasing the effectiveness of the Soil Health Card Scheme
Soil Health card (SHC) scheme implemented Orvakal and Banaganapalli blocks of Andhra Pradesh, a state in India was an initiative which aimed to distribute SHCs to farmers, that included provisions of providing information on soil nutrient status and its fertiliser use.
A study from 20 villages involving 300 farmers revealed 83% farmers had good knowledge about soil health management and almost half of them have followed the recommendations of SHC consistently for five years. This improved understanding about soil benefited them significantly with improved financial returns.
This programme has its own challenges such as insufficient follow up and complex recommendations. To overcome the following, faster distribution of SHC and regular visits of Extension staff/experts to the fields with thorough training sessions is done. Soil Health Card scheme has been a beacon of positive change for the people of Andhra Pradesh underscoring the importance of ongoing support and education in sustaining agricultural advancements and improving farmer’s livelihoods.
