- Launched in 2015
- It has been introduced to assist State Governments to issue Soil Health Cards to all farmers in the country.
- It provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.
- It is used to assess the current status of soil health and, when used over time, to determine changes in soil health that are affected by land management.
- It displays soil health indicators and associated descriptive terms. The indicators are typically based on farmers’ practical experience and knowledge of local natural resources.
- It lists soil health indicators that can be assessed without the aid of technical or laboratory equipment.
- The 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 Governments.
- It 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)
- pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters)
- The scheme will cover all the parts of the country.
- A farm will get the soil card once in every 3 years.
