1. Soil Health Management
Group-I
Soil Health Management

2. Major Driving forces for SHM
Burning of crop residues
Imbalance use of chemical fertilizers
Inadequate application of FYM and green manuring
Soil degradation
Soil test based judicious use of nutrients including water
Non-adoption of crop rotation as per land capability

3. Adverse impacts of poor SHM
Loss of soil fertility and productivity
Economic loss to farmers thereby to nation
Mortality of active beneficial Soil Bacteria
Soil hardening & erosion
Threat to food security

4. ISSUES 1.
To provide landholdingwise SHC in irrigated and rainfed areas 2.
To establish new STL or MSTL wherever required and central funding running such static and mobile labs preferably in PPP mode 3.
To introduce a CSS scheme to reclamation of alkali, saline and acid soils as area these soils are increasing every year across the country.

5. 4.
To increase the area under organic farming 5
To improve the infrastructure for production of quality organic inputs. 6.
To promote awareness and capacity building of the farmers for Soil Health Management through INM approach. 7
The charges for soil testing in some states are not reasonable (Rs. 1 to 10/sample) resulting to non-sustainability of STL

6. PROBLEMS FACED BY STATES
1. Collection of soil samples in a scientific process need trained & skilled labours which is not available at village level.
2. NGO/Private Agencies are reluctant to establish STL under PPP mode as it is not profit oriented due to small & marginal farmer centric State.
3. To establish STL requires deployment of large no. Manpower which is a problem on the part of State Govt.

7. 4. There is a problem in getting good quality organic inputs at farmer level.
5. Farmers in some areas under highly intensive cropping systems particularly potato growing areas are habituated to apply excessive chemical fertilizer , resulting in deterioration of Soil Health.
6. Farmers are reluctant to adopt Organic farming due to marketing problem of their produce.

8. MAJOR CONSTRAINTS:
Lack of awareness among the farmers about benefits of Soil Test based nutrients application and crop rotation
Imbalance and non-judicious application of fertilizers
Non-filling of sanctioned technical posts leading to non-functioning of STLs
Non-availability of alternatives to chemical fertilizers
Non-availability of relatively low cost FYM
Non-availability of good quality green manure seeds in adequate quantity

9. Interventions for Soil Health Management
Incorporation of crop residue and promotion of green manuring
Promotion of bio enriched compost/vermi compost
Establishment Soil Testing facilities at village level and use of fertilizers according to soil test
Judicious use of pesticides to control
Technological interventions
Promotion of STLs in PPP model with infrastructure support from state
Soil health manager at village level with Mini soil test kit from state/ central assistance
Diversification of soil testing system
Training and Demonstration of farmers for creating awareness
Awareness to through mass/ print media
Ensuring Soil Health card to each farmer for each field of about 1 ha
Self certification about adoption of organic farming
Capacity building and awareness generation

10. SUGGESTIONS 1
Provision in Central Sector Scheme for adequate subsidy to the Laboratories under PPP Mode for routine and micronutrient analysis 2
Provision in central sector scheme to provide a soil sampling Rs.20/- per sample and allow collection of sample through outsourcing 3
The State run STL at district headquarters shall act as Nodal Agency in monitoring the STL run by NGO/Private Agencies operating in the district for which state may develop suitable mechanism

11. 4
Creation of additional STL, MSTL, Fertiliser Quality Control Lab, and Biofertiliser Quality Control Lab. 5
Creation of Digital District Map of soil fertility. 6
Capacity building of the of the farmers, STL staffs/Extension functionaries regarding SHM

12. 7
To provide SHM support to the farmers of remote areas through SOIL TESTING KIT 8
Strengthening of existing fertilizer quality control laboratory and creation of new FQCL so that farmers of the States get quality fertiliser both chemical and organic. 9
To set up new Agro Waste Compost Production Units as step to produce more organic input in the states at blocks level which will help to maintain soil fertility.

13. 10
To increase production of Biofertiliser in PPP mode 11
To launch a comprehensive CS scheme for reclamation of alkaline, saline and acidic soils 12
To create large scale awareness amongst farmers about benefits of organic farming 13
To issue online soil health cards 14
To create market-linkages for organic produce for ensuring higher economic returns to the farmers

15. THANK YOU… 15 15