Soil Health and Nutrient Management

A new scheme “Soil Health Card” has been introduced in year 2014-15 to assist State Governments to issue Soil Health Card to all farmers in the country, once in every three years. Soil Health Card provides information to farmers on soil nutrient status of their soil and recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrient to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

Apart from above, Government is implementing Soil Health Management under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). Soil Health Management (SHM) aims at promoting Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) through judicious use of chemical fertilizers including secondary and micro nutrients in conjunction with organic manures and biofertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity; strengthening of soil testing facilities to provide soil test bases recommendations to farmers for improving soil fertility; upgradation of skill and knowledge of soil testing laboratory staff, extension staff and farmers through training and demonstrations.

There is no proposal to utilize Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for augmenting farm activities in the country.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture Sh.Mohanbhai Kundaria in Lok Sabha today.

GG: SB:CP/ SOIL HEALTH AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT/28.04.15