SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME (“Swasth Dhara Khet Hara”)

Soil Health Card Scheme was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister, Government of India

on 19th February, 2015 from Suratgarh, District, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.

The Soil Health Card Scheme was conceptualized, designed and envisaged to

address the following fertility related constraints:

• No uniform norms are followed in the country for soil analysis and distribution of

soil health cards.

• There was also need to devise a mechanism to issue soil health cards every 2 years

in respect of all land holdings in order to capture the soil fertility changes

occurring due to plant uptake and other natural cause.

• More attention required to follow up measures on the soil nutrient deficiencies

indentified in soil health cards.

• Small and marginal farmers need technical support to apply site specific fertilizer

application

The scheme envisages

• Promoting the soil testing services, issue of soil health cards

• Development of nutrient management practices

• To issue soil health cards every 2 years to all the farmers, so as to provide a basis to

address nutrient deficiencies in fertilization practices

• To strengthening function of soil testing laboratories, capacity building

• To diagnose soil fertility related constraints with standardized procedures for

sampling uniformly across the state and to develop fertility maps and

recommendations.

• Uniform Sampling Norms: 01 representative soil sample for 2.5 hectare irrigated and

10 hectare un- irrigated unit area.

• To develop and promote soil test based nutrient management in districts for enhancing

nutrient use efficiency.

• To build capacities of field staff and farmers.

Methodology:

• Collected samples are being tested in the soil testing laboratories using the standards

and protocols for physio-chemical properties like pH, EC (Electrical Conductivity),

Major nutrients like OC (organic Carbon %), available Phosphorus and Potash,

secondary nutrient like Sulphur and micro nutrients like Zinc, Iron, Copper and

Manganese as a measure of knowing the status of soil health.

• Based on the values obtained for each parameter, the nutrient recommendations are

generated for different crops and soil health cards are prepared through on line

software.

• The soil health cards are distributed to the farmers during training camps, goshthies,

awareness campaigns etc.

Benefit of the scheme:

• Quick and reliable assessment of fertilizer needs based on the type and extent of

nutrient deficiencies.

• Based on the suggestions in the soil health card corrective measures are being

undertaken by the farmers for improving soil fertility; ensuring requirements of

fertilizers, bio- fertilizers and organic fertilizers.

• Use the organic manures in the form of Farm Yard Manure (FYM)/Compost has also

been suggested in soil health card along with the use of chemical fertilizers due to

which the efficiency of applied fertilizer increases and also checks the nutrient loss

from soil.

Outcome:

1. Increased outreach of soil health cards-

➢ 91.09 Lakh soil health cards distributed out of a total target of 68.88 lakh land

holdings during the first cycle of the scheme implemented during year 2015-16 to

2017-18.

➢ The second cycle (Year 2017-18 to 2018-19) of the scheme is in implementation stage

and 21.22 Lakh soil health cards have been distributed to farmers up to June, 2018. It

is proposed to complete by December, 2018.

2. Promoting balance nutrient use- The recommendations provided are comparatively

precise over the general recommendations.

For example The general dose of NPK for Bajra is 90-30-0 as nutrients, while the

average soil test based recommendation for Bajra comes out to be 75 to 80-30-10 as

NPK nutrient Kg/ha. Similar trends are found in other crops also. This will reduce

cost of cultivation while improves the fertilizer use efficiency.

3. Scientific assessment of total nutrient requirement- Area wise assessment of

requirement helps in placement of fertilizer for timely availability to farmers, on the

other hand it also helps in managing the demand of limiting nutrient.

Impact:

1. Awareness among the farmers for balance nutrient application.

Soil Health Card

“Nourishing the fields for

harnessing the yields”

2. Initiations of corrective measures for mitigating the deficiency in question.

3. The fertilizer consumption reduced to 46.30 Kg/ha (year 2017-18) from 64.23 Kg/ha

( year 2015-16)

4. The Nitrogen consumption is reduced from 44.86 Kg/ha (Year 2015-16) to 32.35

Kg/ha(year 2017-18), similar trend was observed for Available phosphorous , where it

is reduced from 18.61 Kg/ha to 12.78 Kg/hain the same period. The available potash

consumption is increasing from 0.77 Kg/ha to 1.17 Kg/ha during 2015-16 to 2017-18.

5. The N:P:K ration has also narrowed down from 58:24:1 (Year 2015-16) to 28:11:1

(Year 2017-18), while the N:P ration remains at par i.e. 2.5:1

6. Awareness about use of micronutrients- Rise is observed in micronutrient

consumption. It increases from 0.760 Kg/ha (Year 2015-16) to 0.791 Kg/ha (year

2016-17)

Initiative:

• Based on the extent and type of micro nutrient deficiency observed during the soil

analysis, farmers are being encouraged to use micro nutrients by providing them micro

nutrients kits on 90% subsidy. This will eventually lead to around 20 % increase in

production and quality of the produce.

• In the year 2016-17, 18818 and in 2017-18 ,40881 micro nutrient kits were

distributed to farmers. An amount of Rs. 89.70 Lakh Rs. 184.80 Lakh was

incurred respectively.

Promotional activities-World Soil Day 5th December

To popularize Integrated and Balance use of manures and Fertilizers, Soil testing and

use of Soil Health Cards

➢ Celebrated across the State from year 2015 to 2017.

➢ Cumulative 12892 numbers Awareness camps, Kishan Ghosties, Farmer trainings organized

➢ Mass Participation- Hon’ble Union Minister), Hon’ble Ministers of State, Hon’ble MP’s, MLA’s

and other Public representatives Zila Pramook, Pradhans along with farmers and citizens.

➢ Soil Health Card Distributed on this day – Cumulative number 4.62 lac

➢ Number of beneficiaries through Camps & Gosties- Cumulative number 5.48 lac

Distribution of 1st millionth Soil Health Card to Lucky farmer Sh. Kishan S/o Noparam,

Village Nagal Govind, Tehsil Govindgarh, Jaipur by Hon’ble Agriculture Minister, GoR in a

state level programme

Success Stories:

After the use of fertilizer recommendations based upon Soil Health Cards the farmers of

the state have reported substantial increase in their yield and reduction in consumption of

fertilizers.

Training & Extension:

Soil Testing Infrastructure development in the State:

(2 time enhancement in annual testing capacity from year 2014-15)

• In the year 2014-15 new 55 soil testing laboratories were established, by which

annual additional testing capacity of 5.50 lakh samples has been created.

• Present Status- Total Labs-113 (101 static, out of which 67 labs are being operated

on outsource mode and 12 mobile units with public partnership)

• Total annual testing capacity- 11.0 lakh samples.

• Micronutrient testing facilities are extended to 55 labs from 32 labs.