The ambitious Soil Health Card Scheme is completingfive years.
From 2015 to 2017, over 10 crores Soil Health Cards were distributed to farmers in the first phase. In the second phase, over 11 crore cards have been distributed to farmers across the country.
What is Soil Health Card scheme?
Soil Health Card (SHC) is a Government of India’s scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.
It is being implemented through the Department of Agriculture of all the State and Union Territory
A SHC is meant to give each farmer soil nutrient status of his/her holding and advices him/her on the dosage of fertilizers and also the needed soil amendments, that s/he should apply to maintain soil health in the long run.
What is a Soil Health Card?
SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings.
It will contain the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N,P,K (Macro-nutrients) ; S (Secondary- nutrient) ; Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro - nutrients) ; and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.
It will be made available once in a cycle of 3 years, which will indicate the status of soil health of a farmer’s holding for that particular period.
The SHC given in the next cycle of 3 years will be able to record the changes in the soil health for that subsequent period.
Why do farmers need a Soil Health Card?
Soil Health Card Scheme is a very beneficial scheme for farmers. There are many farmers in India who do not know which types of crops they should grow to get maximum yield.
Basically, they do not know the quality and the type of their soil.
They might know by experience what crops grow and what crops fail. But they don't know what they can do to improve the condition of the soil.
How can a farmer use a SHC?
The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients
Further, it will advise the farmer on the fertilizers and their quantities he should apply, and also the soil amendments that he should undertake, so as to realize optimal yields.
Who will draw the soil sample?
The State Government will collect samples through the staff of their Department of Agriculture or through the staff of an outsourced agency. The State Government may also involve the students of local Agriculture / Science Colleges.
Soil Samples will be collected by a trained person from a depth of 15-20 cm by cutting the soil in a “V” shape.
Quick Recap
Soil Health Card Scheme—launched in 2014—by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.
It is implemented through the Department of Agriculture of all the State and Union Territory Governments.
SHC gives information about N,P,K (Macro-nutrients) ; S (Secondary- nutrient) ; Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro - nutrients) ; and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters).
The card will be made available once in a cycle of 3 years.
The State Government will collect samples through the staff of their Department of Agriculture or through the staff of an outsourced agency.
