Usage of soil health card in crop management practices for doubling the farmers’ income

Abstract

The data was collected from 15 selected villages from Sirsa district (Haryana), India during Rural Agricultural Work Experience program of B.Sc. (Hons.) Ag.(Final Year students) in 2017.Ninety farmers were selected, randomly. The study revealed that the 61.33 % of farmers were found aware about the SHC and farmers are found aware that ‘SHC studies soil health’ (56.34%), ‘it is a Govt. of India’s scheme’ (57.34%), ‘helped to reduce the input cost’ (53.67%), ‘give soil nutrient status’ (57.34%) and ‘it contain the soil type information’ (56.34%), ‘SHC contain the cropping pattern information’, ‘crop sequence information’ and ‘fertilizers dosages’ with 47.00 %, 47.34 % and 56.67 %, respectively. 53.66 % of farmers were aware ‘SHC helps to maintain the soil fertility’, ‘increases productivity of crops’ ‘judicious application of fertilizers’ and ‘soil-related constraints’with 53.00 %, 53.67% and 53.34 %, respectively. While, 47.00 % respondents were aware about the soil fertility map and SHC issued for three years with only 40.67 % of farmers. 56.67% of farmers had opinion that ‘SHC provides the dose of organic manure’ and ‘an idea of fertilizer’s usage pattern’ followed by ‘information about crop grown suited to soil type’ (54.44%). 53.33%farmers had opinion that ‘it helps to increase the organic matter in soil’, ‘timely management of fertilizers’ and ‘improve the quality of produce’. Further, 50.00% farmers had opinion that ‘provide the dose of farmyard manure (FYM)/ compost’ and ‘provides the dose of lime and gypsum’.  These findings are of noval nature based on primary data collected directly from farmers. The study soil health is of very much importance for motivating farmers to use balanced fertilizers application for all field crops.