Facts For Prelims
Source: PIB
Context: The Soil Health Cards (SHCs) Scheme, initiated in 2014-15, involves soil sampling, testing, and issuance of soil health cards to assist all farmers in the country.
- These cards provide insights into soil nutrient status and recommend appropriate nutrient dosages for enhancing soil fertility and health.
New Developments:
- The Government of India has introduced technological enhancements to the scheme. The Soil Health Card portal has been upgraded and integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS), allowing test results to be visualized on a map.
- The mobile application for the scheme has been improved, enabling smooth implementation and easy access to soil health cards.
- Notable features include restricted sample collection regions, automated latitude and longitude selection, and QR code generation for linking samples with test results directly on the portal.
- The Soil Health Card scheme has been merged into the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) cafeteria scheme as a component named ‘Soil Health & Fertility’ from 2022-23.
- Guidelines for Village Level Soil Testing Labs (VLSTLs) were issued recently and these labs can be established by individual entrepreneurs, rural youth, community-based groups like Self Help Groups (SHGs), schools, and agricultural universities.
- VLSTLs educate farmers about soil sampling, testing, generating soil health cards, and provide fertilizer and crop recommendations.
Overall, these initiatives aim to enhance agricultural productivity by providing farmers with critical soil information and recommendations, thereby improving soil health, fertility, and crop yields.
