Soil Health Card Scheme

Quick facts 

• Purpose: To facilitate farmers for better understanding of soil and Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)
• Subcomponent of: RKVY cafeteria scheme (Soil Health & Fertility componenet) 
• Soil Health card (SHC): A printed report card issued to farmers in once in three years indicating the status of his soil in terms of 12 parameters
• SHC Portal: Facilitates facilitate generation of SHCs in a uniform and standardized format.

Objectives

• To assist State Governments to issue soil health cardsto all farmers in the country, so as to provide a basis to address nutrient.
• To develop and promote soil test based nutrient management in the districts for enhancing nutrient use efficiency.
• To strengthen functioning of Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) through capacity building, involvement of agriculture students and effective linkage with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Salient Features

Background: SHC scheme was launched in 2014-15 as a component of: National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). However, from 2022-23 the scheme is merged in Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) cafeteria scheme. RKVY cafeteria scheme is a Centrally Sponsored scheme.  It aims at making farming a remunerative economic activity through strengthening the farmer's effort, risk mitigation and promoting agri-business entrepreneurship. Integrated development of major food and fodder crops, Agriculture mechanization, enhancement of soil health, Integrated Pest Management schemes, Promoting Extension Services, etc. are Soil Health card (SHC): It indicates the status of soil in terms of 12 parameters (refer to the infographics). It is also accompanied by an advice on the various fertilizers and other soil amendments he is supposed to make. It can be printed in various major languages and Dialects. Soil Testing: Soil samples are tested as per the approved standards for all the 12 parameters at: STL owned by the Department of Agriculture and by their own staff or by an outsourced agency. ICAR Institutions including KVKs and SAUs. laboratories of the Science Colleges/Universities by the students under supervision of a Professor/ Scientist. Ensuring quality of soil test: State Government is mandated to refer 1% of all the samples in a year to a 'Referral Laboratory' to analyse and certify on the results of Primary Laboratory. The State Government is also required to support the establishment of Referral Laboratories. Village Level Soil testing Labs or Mini labs: Mini labs at village level is required to promote location and crop specific sustainable soil health management.  They can be set up by individual entrepreneurs i.e., rural youth and community-based entrepreneurs i.e., SHGs, Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO), Schools, Agriculture Universities etc.  District level empowered committee (DLEC) is responsible to select beneficiaries/entrepreneurs to run Mini labs with the support from government Payment Per Sample: Centre a provides a sum of Rs. 190 per soil sample to State Governments to cover the cost of collection of soil sample, its test, generation and distribution of SHC to the farmer. There is no burden on farmer to generate Soil health card. Technological interventions  SHC Portal:  It has been revamped and integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS) system so that all the test results are captured and seen on a map. Mobile Application:  To ensure authenticity of sample collection and correctness of the information, Sample tracking and alerts to farmers through SMS.