1. METHODOLOGY: SOIL TEST BASED FERTILISER RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM (STFRS)
SOIL HEALTH CARD Developed for DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GOVT. OF WEST BENGAL
METHODOLOGY:
SOIL TEST BASED FERTILISER RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM
(STFRS)

2. क्योंकि मशीनें रिश्वत नहीं माँगती
ई-गवर्नेंस' ज़रूरी
क्योंकि मशीनें रिश्वत नहीं माँगती

3. People
Process and,
Technology

4. Objectives of Soil Testing
Assessment of current soil fertility status according to physical, chemical and ecological properties of soil
Help make arrangement for soil amendment and recommendation of manure for both macro and micro nutrients according to soil fertility level suitable for crops to be grown
Help in recommending only essential and adequate amount of nutrients
Prevention of overuse of fertilisers which in turn results in reduction the cost of cultivation and prevention of degradation of soil quality due to overuse of fertilisers
Prevention of possible nutrient toxicity
Maintenance of proper soil health and plant nutrients reserves for healthy growth of next crop in sequence

5. Goal
To usher in efficiency & effectiveness in the functioning of SOIL TESTING LABORATORIES by leveraging Information Technology to enable them to provide soil health cards to farmers and other stakeholders on time and shall help preparation of SOIL MAPs for effective management of resources

6. Soil Testing Portal (in line with WBAGRISNET)
Continued….

8. Soil Test Based Fertiliser Recommendation System consist of the following Major Modules:
Online/SMS Request for soil testing and collection of samples
Detailed Sample Registration – Source of Sample, Land Specific Information & Information on Crop(s)
Test Result Entry & Computation
Recommendations from Experts
Generation of Soil Health Card in Local Language and English
Internet based (ONLINE) generation of Soil Health Card from any location
Acknowledgement of receipt of soil sample at laboratory and intimation on generation of SHC through SMS
MIS Reports for administrators, laboratories and VLE
Inputs for Soil Fertility Maps
SMS Alerts to farmers about readiness of Soil Health Card

9. Sample Registration – Source Details

10. Impact Better service to the rural community (Farmers)
Considerable reduction in time to obtain a Soil Health Card from a laboratory by the farmers has motivated them to opt for more tests of their soil
MIS on registered and tested samples for a duration has been made available
SMS based abridged Soil Fertility and Fertiliser Advisory per crop

11. Work Flow:
Developing and maintaining necessary infrastructure for testing soil health and dissemination of the information to the farmers at the village level.
Pictorial Representation of SHC being made available to a farmer through a Government Laboratory:
Intimation through SMS + WEB access + PRINT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PRINT + SMS
SOIL SAMPLE
LABORATORY
(Government)
SHC
Sample Analysis & Data Entry

12. Work Flow:
Pictorial Representation of SHC being made available to a farmer through a Non Government Laboratory:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PRINT + SMS
SOIL SAMPLE
Intimation through SMS + WEB access + PRINT
Pay per Sample
LABORATORY
(Non Government)
SHC
Sample Analysis & Data Entry
Proposed in 2010: Pay Rs.40 per Sample to Private Laboratory
GOVERNMENT

13. Work Flow:
Pictorial Representation of SHC being made available to a farmer through a CSC (Common Service Centre):
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PRINT + SMS
CSC
(Village Level Entrepreneur at Common Service Centre)
Intimation through SMS + WEB access + PRINT
Proposed in 2010: Pay Rs.10 per Sample
SOIL SAMPLE
Courier
eACKNOWLEDGEMENT
LABORATORY
(Government or Private)
SHC
Sample Analysis & Data Entry
Proposed in 2010: Pay Rs.40 per Sample to Private Laboratory
GOVERNMENT

15. Work Ahead: Calculations
Total pages: 96
Existing Reports: 12
Security Audit
Man-days per page: 4
Man-days per report page: 3
6 man-months
Duration:
[{(96 x 3) + (12 x 4)}/22 + 6]/3 = 7 calendar months
Add:
Learning phase: 1 calendar month
Pilot implementation: 1 calendar month
Rollout: 2 calendar months
Total: 11 calendar months
Assumption: No change in db design
& any change may be a parallel process

16. Services to Farmers:
List of Govt. and Private Laboratories and List of Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) – WEB + SMS
Soil Health Card Generation, both in English and Vernacular languages
Soil Nutrient Availability Report – WEB + SMS
Query on status of submitted Soil Sample by farmers – WEB + SMS

17. Services Available @ Laboratory:
Soil Sample Registration and updation (till test results are entered)
Acknowledgement Generation (else, test results cannot be entered)
Sample Rejection
Test Result Entry and updation (till SHC is generated)
Generation of Soil Health Card
Annual Progress Report

18. Services to be made available to Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE)
@ the CSCs:
Soil Sample Registration
Acknowledgement Generation
Test Result Entry
Revenue Transaction
Monthly Report

19. Services available to Administrator:
Total No. of SHC generated during a given period
Laboratory wise total of SHC generated during a given period
Monthly Performance Report for VLE
Master Entry, Query & Report on recommended dose of FERTILISER depending on AGRO-CLIMATIC ZONE, CROP, SEASON, DURATION, SEEDING TYPE & WATER DEPTH
Updation of SHC if requested by Laboratories
Master entry pages

20. Activities
Activities for any project can be divided into three major categories viz. –
pre-project activities
on-project activities
post-project activities
This methodology as a defining strategy may be incorporated within AGRISNET for effecting the delivery mechanism for the project

21. COLLABORATE AND DELEGATE
A Rule
Nobody can do it alone
There are always people who can do the job better than you
Find them, work with them
COLLABORATE AND DELEGATE
EXCUSES!

22. Pre-project Activities
Core Group formation
Assessment
Budgeting
Risk Management
Delivery Mechanism
Requirement
HW/SW/Manpower
Quality
Capacity/Capability Building
Responsibilities
Core Group
System/Software
Budgeting
Delivery Mechanism
Network
Requirement
HW/SW/Manpower
Farmer Centric Applications
Capacity/Capability Building
Core Group
System/Software
Budgeting
Delivery Mechanism
Network
Requirement
HW/SW/Manpower
Farmer Centric Applications
Capacity/Capability Building
On-project Activities
Post-project Activities

23. Rollout Strategy:
The database will be centralized (i.e. a single database) for operations by the States
For each State, separate state login page may be prepared with defined roles/logins for users for data entry/ updation/MIS and Citizen Interface to the applications
The present/existing software also enables this feature (mentioned in (b) above) that is perfectly role based with each State having its own administrative rights for the software

24. Rollout Strategy: Satisfy the requirement analysis with respect to
Creation of General Master Directory (like District, Sub-division, Block, GP, Mouza (Village), Post Office, etc.)
Specific Master Directory ( like Recommendation of Fertiliser with respect to the prevailing Agro-Climatic Zone and soil types that determine the outcome of Soil Test Result) is an essential and primary requirement and the necessary user interface is available considering the requirements for the states
The existing module may suffice the needs of the States willing to adopt this software

25. Rollout Strategy:
The costing towards deployment of manpower for Analysis, Process Modeling, System Design, Development, Capacity Building including the cost of ICT Infrastructure for software development / customization, site preparation – for development, customization and deployment, handholding operations, cost for transportation for undertaking study etc has to be considered
Testing & Release of Application by State Teams through proper change management notes of satisfaction
User Acceptance through proper handing over note of satisfaction
End User Training with proper documentation
Project signoff

26. Action Plan: Fixation of Strategy for Development and Deployment
Identification of the Scope of Activities for execution
Identification of Resources as per the Scope
Fixation of Time Frame as per the Scope
Estimation of expenditure for deployment of resources within the time frame
Official responsible for implementation of this service at a location should not be moved out or transferred
The official be so chosen that he/she is sufficiently away from superannuation

27. S
Availability of Core Competency in the area
Success stories available
Upbeat farming and research communities
Plagued with internal operating problems –
Ill equipped laboratories
Negative attitude
Demoralised staff
Weak image
Underutilised facilities W
Strong will to introduce ICT in Soil Testing
Growth of awareness on Soil Testing and its usefulness
To serve or cater to new segments
Turf wars
Disruptions – through preemptive designs
Unavailability of ICT with Internet connectivity
Unskilled manpower at work O T

28. IDENTIFICATION OF RESOURCES AND THEIR DEPLOYMENT PLAN
Major resource constraint will be availability of skilled manpower for execution of different level of activities viz. selection of sufficiently skilled hired manpower for providing development and then, implementation support at State and Centre level
The ICT infrastructure for development of application including proper site for development and customisation
Cost for travel/transportation of manpower for System Study
Finalise the source for funding with steady flow on receipt of UC

29. Let’s Work
Thank You