New Delhi, 17 February 2025
The Soil Health Card Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 February 2015 in Suratgarh, Rajasthan. This scheme was initiated to assist state governments in issuing Soil Health Cards to all farmers across the country.
The Soil Health Card provides farmers with information about the nutrient status of their soil. It also recommends the appropriate dosage of nutrients to improve soil health and fertility.
The Soil Health Card Portal (www.soilhealth.dac.gov.in) facilitates the preparation of standardized Soil Health Cards in all major languages and five dialects across the country for the benefit of farmers.
The Soil Health Card includes information on 12 parameters related to soil condition:
- Macronutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur
- Micronutrients: Zinc, Iron, Copper, Manganese, Boron
- Other Factors: pH (Acidity or Alkalinity), EC (Electrical Conductivity), and OC (Organic Carbon)
Based on this, the card provides fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment suggestions for the farm.
Soil Sample Collection:
Soil samples are typically collected twice a year, after the harvesting of Rabi and Kharif crops or when no standing crop is present in the field.
Village-Level Soil Testing Laboratories (VLSTL):
Guidelines for village-level soil testing laboratories (VLSTL) were issued in June 2023. These laboratories can be established by individual entrepreneurs (rural youth) or community-based entrepreneurs such as:
- Self-Help Groups (SHG)
- Schools
- Agricultural Universities
To be eligible, an individual entrepreneur must be a young person aged between 18 and 27 years. Additionally, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) can also be designated as VLSTLs.
As of February 2025, 665 village-level soil testing laboratories have been established across 17 states.
School Soil Health Program:
The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, in collaboration with the Department of School Education & Literacy (DSE&L), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and state governments, launched a pilot project for a School Soil Health Program in 20 schools (10 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 10 Navodaya Vidyalayas) in rural areas.
The aim of this initiative is to educate students about soil health and promote sustainable farming practices.
Key Achievements:
- 20 soil health laboratories were set up in these schools.
- Modules were developed and distributed for students and teachers from Class VI to XII.
- Students collected and tested soil samples and prepared Soil Health Cards (SHC).
- Students also educated farmers on the judicious use of fertilizers and crop recommendations based on SHCs.
By 2024, the program expanded to:
- 1,020 schools implementing the School Soil Health Program
- 1,000 soil testing laboratories established
- 125,972 students enrolled
Integration with RKVY (National Agriculture Development Scheme):
Since 2022-23, the Soil Health Card Scheme has been merged into the “Soil Health & Fertility” component of the National Agriculture Development Scheme (RKVY).
Technological Advancements:
To enhance access to Soil Health Cards, the Government of India introduced technological interventions in 2023, including:
- Revamping of the Soil Health Card Portal with GIS (Geographical Information System) integration to map and visualize soil test results.
- SHC Mobile App with new features for seamless implementation and monitoring, including:
- Geo-tagging of sample collection areas for village-level entrepreneurs/operators
- Automatic selection of location latitude and longitude
- QR code-based linking of sample results from mapped laboratories directly to the portal
The app provides graphic data for the entire country and displays state, district, taluka, and panchayat boundaries at multiple levels.
The new system was launched in April 2023, and soil samples are now being collected through the mobile application. Soil Health Cards are now digitally generated on the new portal.
For digitalization of Soil Health Cards, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has designed and developed a web-based workflow application known as the Soil Health Card Portal.
Source: PIB
