Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints;

GS-3

SOIL HEALTH CARD SCHEME

Important points:

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare introduced the scheme on December 5, 2015.
• Soil Health Card (SHC) is a printed report which contains nutrient status of soil with respect to 12 nutrients:

1. pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC),
2. Organic Carbon (OC),
3. Nitrogen (N),
4. Phosphorus (P),
5. Potassium (K),
6. Sulphur (S),
7. Zinc (Zn),
8. Boron (B),
9. Iron (Fe),
10. Manganese (Mn) and
11. Copper (Cu) of farm holdings.

• SHC is provided to all farmers in the country at an interval of 3 years to enable the farmers to apply recommended doses of nutrients based on soil test values to realize improved and sustainable soil health and fertility, low costs and higher profits. Farmers can track their soil samples and also obtain their Soil Health Card report.
• It is a field-specific detailed report of soil fertility status and other important soil parameters that affect crop productivity.

National Productivity Council

• It is a national-level organization to promote productivity culture in India.
• Established by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India in 1958, it is an autonomous, multipartite, non-profit organization.

SOURCE:PIB