Decade of Soil Health Cards

Context:

Soil Health Cards which was introduced in February, 2015, has completed ten years. It played an important role in improving soil fertility and optimizing fertilizer use.

Relevance:

GS-02 (Government policies and interventions)

Key Achievements of Soil Health Card in the Last 10 Years

Expansion and Reach:
- As of February 2025, 665 village-level Soil Testing Labs (VLSTLs) have been established in 17 states.
School Soil Health Programme:
- The program aims to educate students on soil health and sustainable farming. Initially started as a pilot project in 20 schools, but later expanded to 1,020 schools with 1,000 soil labs and 1.25 lakh students enrolled.
Technological Integration:
- SHC Mobile App launched in 2023 for easy access to soil data.
- GIS-based mapping system ensures accurate soil test results and fertilizer recommendations.
- QR code linking for real-time monitoring of soil samples and test results.
Policy Integration:
- From 2022-23, the SHC Scheme was merged into the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) as a component under Soil Health & Fertility.

About the Soil Health Card Scheme:

It was introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in 2015.
SHC is a printed report which contains nutrient status of soil with respect to 12 nutrients:
Purpose: Provides farmers with a detailed report on soil nutrients and recommends the right fertilizers and soil amendments to maintain fertility.
Parameters Measured:
- Macronutrients – Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulfur (S).
- Micronutrients – Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Boron (Bo).
- Other Indicators – pH (Acidity/Alkalinity), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC).
Sampling Process: Soil samples are tested twice a year, after Rabi and Kharif harvests.

Conclusion

During the last ten years, the innovations in the education systems and improvements in policy integrations have strengthened the scheme’s overall impact. However, in the coming days, steps should be taken to improve digital services and to scale up village-level labs, to ensure that soil health remains a priority for sustainable agriculture and food security in India.