Campaign to issue soil health card to every farmer
Bhopal. A campaign would be conducted to issue soil health card to every farmer and test soil of every field in the state. ‘Mitti Bachao-Kisan Bachao Abhiyan’ would be conducted from World Soil Health Day on December 5 till December 12. During the campaign, soil health cards will be distributed to farmers at state and district level programmes. Agriculture Production Commissioner Shri P.C. Meena and Principal Secretary Farmers Welfare and Agriculture Development Dr. Rajesh Rajora reviewed preparations and strategy for the campaign starting from December 5 at a meeting here today.
A meeting of agriculture cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan on October 20 had decided to launch ‘Mitti Bachao-Kisan Bachao Abhiyan’ to increase soil fertility and adding nutrients to arable land. The meeting held in the context of the decision today was informed that a target has been set to obtain 8 lakh samples of soil for testing. So far, one lakh 45 lakh samples have been tested and soil health cards given to farmers. For this, a soil testing lab will be set up at every development block. At the meeting, Dr. Rajora directed all concerning officers to ensure maximum preparations at their levels for activities to be held during the campaign so that prescribed target can be achieved.
It is noteworthy that soil needs 16 types of nutrients for growth of plants. Of these, the soil gets carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen from air and water. Testing of remaining nutrients including organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, potash, PH, electrical conductivity, sulphur, zinc, iron, manganese, baron and copper is conducted. On the basis of test, advice is given to farmers about quantity and type of fertiliser if any these nutrients is lacking in the soil.
