Revamping Soil Health Card Scheme

1. Revamping Soil Health Card Scheme Group 2 A,P, Telangana, Tamilnadu, M.P, U.P, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar, H.P, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram Chairperson: Joint Secretary (INM) Group Leader: Commissioner Agriculture, Maharashtra

2. Issues deliberated • SHC in current year - 2019-20 • SHC – future strategies • Soil Sampling method • Period of cycle • Soil testing infrastructure • Awareness generation/Village level Extension • Advanced technologies for soil testing • Others

3. strategy for SHC in current year - 2019-20 • Holiday to soil testing • Large scale 10-15 ha size village level demonstrations- convincing farmers • Farm holding based testing - village level pilots - use the experience for preparation of future plan • Extension at village level- volunteers/ RAWE graduates / FAI, Melas • Focus on infrastructure development keeping in view the landholdings in the state • Completion of existing projects /demand for new

4. SHC-future strategies- recommendations • Soli sampling • Farm Holding wise testing : demand based /-farmer / volunteers to get sample for testing- payment of sample collection cost of SHC to farmers/volunteers • Small grids- 1h grid in irrigated & 5 ha in rainfed areas • Cycle period • 5 years Cycle- with smaller grid size of 1 ha and 5 ha for irrigated and non-irrigated • No cycle- demand based • Quality of sample • Volunteer/ farmer to be trained technically • States to be given freedom to choose cycle/ demand based

5. Soil Testing Infrastructure • 14.5 crore landholdings; 3 crore samples/ year • STLs of govt / private/ entrepreneurs needed • Developing modalities for roping in Private agencies • Fixed targets to existing private labs on payment • Need for a back ended subsidy scheme for setting up STL in private sector under RKVY or SHM scheme • MoU for sample testing of fixed samples • Government lab at district level • ICP in major labs / increase financial assistance for ICP • New labs to have Facility for adequate manpower under scheme • Village level labs by AC&ABC, Co-operatives, PACS, SHGs, FPOs, FPCs, Ex-servicemen, etc. with fixed targets but quality check of minilabs needed • At least one STL should be NABL accredited in each state as referral lab.

6. SHC specific extension services at village level • Haryana model: engage NSS volunteers / cadets for strengthening SHC specific extension services at village level; pay from SHC cost • UG students under 3 month Rural & Agriculture Work Experience (RAWE) module of SAUs for extension • Caravan based publicity • Retailers of PP and fertilisers to display posters of Soil Health management • Payment linked or incentive linked SHC to farmers to motivate them for SHCs

7. Incentives to farmers • Sugar factories to provide Incentives to farmers/FPOs applying fertilizer based on SHC recommendation can be given by sugar factories • Incentive be given to the farmers bringing samples to the laboratory for testing • SHC to be made mandatory for getting benefit under various agriculture schemes • Linking SHC to PMKISAN subsidy • Linking SHC unique number with DOF portal for fertilizer subsidy.

8. Development of Hand held devices for soil testing • Haryana : Hand held device by Singapore based Olympus company which is under calibration and validation process. The device is costing around Rs. 18-20 lakh that give test result in 3 minute per sample. • Maharashtra : Device by Harvard based MIT company that analyze soil sample at a cost of Rs. 150-200 per sample. • Bihar: A new Dry soil testing device costing about Rs. 1 crore is under validation and results are likely to be available by year end

9. Other suggestions • Promotion of crop specific, area specific customised fertilisers based on SHC recommendations • Availability of micronutrients at the same dealer of fertilisers • Support for manpower to be included in the scheme • SHC to be integral part of all agri/hortischemes • Development of STCR equations for remaining districts

10. Thank you