Press Information Bureau

Government is implementing Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme since 2015 to provide soil test based fertilizer use recommendations periodically   to the farmers in the country.  Soil health card provides nutrient status of the soil along with prescription about   balanced and integrated use of inorganic and organic fertilizers to maintain good soil health that results in increase in production.

 

Apart from SHC, Government is also implementing Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme to augment soil samples testing capacity in the country through setting up / strengthening of soil testing laboratories. So far, 11531 new labs (491 static, 107 mobile, 8811 minilabs and 2122 village level labs) and strengthening of 829 labs have been sanctioned to the states.

 

SHC based fertilizer use advisories are issued to farmers from time to time.               Demonstrations about balanced use of fertilizers based on soil health card recommendations and training to the farmers on proper and integrated use of fertilizers are integral part of the scheme. Financial assistance is provided to State Governments for   training of farmers, demonstrations on farmer fields and organizing farmer melas.

 

Since 2015, around 6.04 lakh demonstrations, 36928 farmer’s trainings and 7425 farmers melas are organized/conducted under the programme. Along with state/ district agriculture machinery and panchayats, village level rural development workers like Krishi Sakhis, Pasu Sakhis are involved in educating farmers on right use of fertilizers. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) also imparts training, organizes front line demonstrations to educate farmers on this aspect.

 

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in Lok Sabha.

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APS

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