UPSC Current affairs - Soil Health Card

Soil Health Card

Context:

• The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Lok Sabha gave the details about the soil health card recently.

What is Soil Health Card?

• A Soil Health Card 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.
• A Soil Health Card displays soil health indicators and associated descriptive terms. The indicators are typically based on farmers’ practical experience and knowledge of local natural resources.
• The card lists soil health indicators that can be assessed without the aid of technical or laboratory equipment.

About:

• Soil Health Card Scheme is a scheme launched by the Government of India on 19 February 2015.
• Under the scheme, the government plans to issue soil cards to farmers which will carry crop-wise recommendations of nutrients and fertilisers required for the individual farms to help farmers to improve productivity through judicious use of inputs.
• All soil samples are to be tested in various soil testing labs across the country. Thereafter the experts will analyse the strength and weaknesses (micro-nutrients deficiency) of the soil and suggest measures to deal with it.
• The result and suggestion will be displayed in the cards. The government plans to issue the cards to 14 crore farmers.

Source: THE HINDU