What is meant by 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.

What is the aim of soil health card scheme?

The objectives of the Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme are to issue soil health cards to farmers every two years so as to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in fertilization practices. Soil testing is developed to promote soil test based on nutrient management.

In which year the soil health card scheme was originally launched by the Government of India?

Soil Health Card Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 19.02. 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan. The scheme has been introduced to assist State Governments to issue soil health cards to all farmers in the country.

How do I get a soil health card?

How do I get my Soil Health Card using My Farm Info?

1. Visit our Home Page.
2. Locate the Farm, add the region.
3. Zoom in and Geo-tag your farm in the map.
4. Click ‘Soil Information’ in ‘More’ tab and fill up the details if asked.
5. You have all your Soil data!

Why soil health card is important?

The card is a tool to help the farmer to monitor and improve soil health based on their own field experience and working knowledge of their soils. The card, which will carry crop-wise recommendation of fertilizers required for farm lands, will help farmers identify health of soil and judiciously use soil nutrients.

Why is soil health important?

Healthy soil is the foundation of productive, sustainable agriculture. Managing for soil health allows producers to work with the land – not against – to reduce erosion, maximize water infiltration, improve nutrient cycling, save money on inputs, and ultimately improve the resiliency of their working land.

How does soil health play a role in conservation and sustainability?

How do you use a soil testing lab?

1. To register and set up a Soil Testing Laboratory online, please visit the following link: Link.
2. On the given page, Fill up the details and click on “submit”
3. Once your application is submitted and processed, the shortlisted applicants will be called for an interview. (

Is soil health card free of cost?

A sum of Rs. 190 per soil sample is provided to State Governments. This covers the cost of collection of soil sample, its test, generation and distribution of soil health card to the farmer.

Is soil testing free in India?

The cost of analysis of a single soil sample amounts to Rs 275 for the chemicals used. But the cost of analysis and issue of soil health card are borne by the government and so it is absolutely free for the farmers.

Why soil health is important to me and my community?

Soil provides ecosystem services critical for life: soil acts as a water filter and a growing medium; provides habitat for billions of organisms, contributing to biodiversity; and supplies most of the antibiotics used to fight diseases.

What is the importance of soil health in soil conservation?

Healthy soil retains more water, which means you can actually reduce the amount of runoff, sediment and erosion in those fields. We can employ practices in our agriculture systems to help reduce the impacts to water quality. These very same practices have benefits to soil health.

What is soil health card (SHC) scheme?

It is with this intention that the Government of India launched the Rs 568 crore Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme. Launched in 2015 it aspires to reach 14 crore farmers in a 3 year period.

When is soil health card day observed every year?

The Soil Health Card Day is observed annually on 19th February. It commemorates the day Soil Health Card Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on February 19, 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan. Coincidentally, the International Year of Soils was celebrated the same year.

What is soil health management programme?

To test the soil health through STL and distribute Soil Health Cards (SHCs) to all the farmers in a round of every two years to promote Soil Health Management. It is also envisaged to promote balanced and judicious use of plant nutrients through this programme.

What is sosoil health card?

Soil Health Card (SHC) is a scheme promoted and given by the Department of Agriculture and Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. It is being implemented to all the State and Union Territories through the Department of Agriculture and it also promotes sustainable agriculture.