K DEVI PADMANABHAN FPO TIRUCHIRAPALLI

The lock down due to Covid 19 has not deterred  our  agricultural officials  in any way. They continue their field work to help farmers like  testing soil, giving fertilizers and helping them market their farm products. Covid 19 pandemic has stressed the importance of sanitation and health care in human life all over the world. Central and state Governments are advising  the people to stay safe and healthy to drive out the  virus  on one hand and are helping the  people  most affected by lockdown by giving food grains, pulses , cooking oil and a host of other measures on the other hand. The  role of farmers who feed the  country can never be undermined and farming activities  should be seen as not suffering in any scenario . Life has to go on for the farming community if a country of 130 crores is to be fed.  Health of soil is also as important as health of humans to get a good harvest with optimum use of fertilizers and water.  Soil health card scheme was implemented in India by Union Agriculture Ministry on 5th December 2015. The aim was to give Soil health cards to all the farmers in the country  so that they  can apply recommended measure of nutrient required for crops.

Soil health card gives the farmer a synopsis of about 12 parameters of the soil like the presence of  macro nutrients NPK, secondary nutrients, micro nutrients like Zinc, iron, copper and other  physical parameters. Agriculture department officials  said five villages from each block in Trichy will be selected  for NMSA Soil Health Card Scheme.  The villages  have been chosen on the basis of extensive use of fertilizers, villagers ready to adopt soil health card system, villages having both agriculture and horticulture crops and those having problems in their  soil. The soil samples are now  being collected and the sampling  will end by May 25. Soil samples will be   analysed and soil health cards will be distributed before kharif season to the farmers. 

Under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture(NMSA)  Soil health card system.  12957 samples will be tested in Trichy district according to Shri Mohan Assistant Director Agriculture department..He added that more than 5,26,000 farmers have registered for soil testing in the district. Agriculture officials are busy visiting the field now for sampling as this is the right time when the fields are devoid of crops.  In Tamil Nadu , 54,50, 116 farmers have been covered under Soil health card scheme. Agriculture officials say soil sample is collected from a depth of 15 to 20 cm from four corners and centre of the field. It will be tested in soil tests laboratory by experts.

Anbarasan farmer from Nanjai Sangenthi village in Tiruchirapalli , says that soil health card has been very useful as he gets a fair idea of how much fertilzers and bionutrients should be added to get a good harvest. It also helps to  decide  which type of crops the soil will support better. Agriculture experts say that awareness of soil health position and role of manures would help in increase in food grain production. Kumaravel, a  farmer from Trichy Pullambady said that agriculture experts have tested the soil from his field and gave soil health card. He said it helped  to know what kind and quantity fertilizer he should add in the field .  He said he is very happy as he  saved money this way without the need for adding more fertilisers  and got a good harvest.

Farmers cannot rest even during lockdown as they shoulder a heavy responsibility of feeding the country. The governments   stand by them  in times of need with proactive policies and aids.

K DEVI PADMANABHAN FPO TRICHY

Kumaravel farmer from Nanjai sangenthi village with Soil health card

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