Lok Sabha Question No. 1096 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-13
Subject: Quality of Soil
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Jyotsna Charandas Mahant

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1096

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 13 TH  DECEMBER, 2022

## QUALITY OF SOIL

1096 . SHRIMATI JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान काण मंी be pleased to state:

(a) whether any steps have been taken by the Government to improve the quality of soil to increase production;

(b) if so, whether farmers training and workshops are being organised at panchayat and village level for quality enhancement and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any training has been provided for the enhancement of arable barren land under the said programme; and

(d) if so, the number of farmers of Chhattisgarh benefited by participating in training and workshops and the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

क ृ िष एवं िकसान काण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR )

(a):        Government  is  implementing  the  Soil  Health  Card  (SHC)  scheme  since  2015  to provide  soil  test  based  fertilizer  use  recommendations  periodically  to  the  farmers  in  the country.  Soil health card provides nutrient status of the soil along with prescription about balanced and integrated use of inorganic and organic fertilizers to maintain good soil health that results in increase in production.

Apart from SHC, Government is also implementing Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme  to  augment  soil  samples  testing  capacity  in  the  country  through  setting  up  / strengthening of soil  testing  laboratories. So  far,  12682 new  soil testing labs (499  static, 113 mobile, 8811 minilabs and 2395 village level labs) and strengthening of 864 existing labs have been sanctioned to the states.

(b): SHC based fertilizer use advisories are issued to farmers through State Government from time to time.  Demonstrations about balanced use of fertilizers based on soil health card  recommendations  and  training  to  the  farmers  on  proper  and  integrated  use  of fertilizers  are  integral  part  of  the  scheme.  Financial  assistance  is  provided  to  State Governments for   farmers training  and workshops, demonstrations  on farmer fields and organizing  farmer  melas.  Since  2015,  around  6.45  lakh  demonstrations,  93781  farmer's trainings  and  7425  farmers'  melas  and  79  workshops  have  been  organized/conducted through the State Governments at Panchayat and village level under the Scheme. Indian Council of Agricultural Research  (ICAR)  also  imparts training,  organizes front line demonstrations to educate farmers on these aspects.

(c):        Indian  Council  of  Agriculture  Research  (ICAR)  is  recommending  soil  test  based fertilizer  application  through  conjunctive  use  of  both  inorganic  and  organic  sources (manure, bio-fertilizers etc.)  of plant nutrients with 4R approaches i.e. right quantity, right time, right mode and right type of fertilizer in order to improve the quality of soil to increase crop production. In addition, growing leguminous crops and use of Resource Conservation Technologies  (RCTs)  are  also  advocated.      ICAR  has  developed  location  specific  bioengineering  soil  &  water  conservation  measure,  land  management  techniques,  soil reclamation  measures  for  saline,  alkali,  waterlogged  and  acid  soils,  selection  of  suitable crop  including  agroforestry  interventions  to  reclaim  and  develop  barren  lands.    It  also imparts training, organizes Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) etc. to educate farmers on all these aspects.  Government is focusing on creating awareness and education the farmers about organic farming practices under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission  Organic  Value  Chain  Development  of  North  Eastern  Region  (MOVCDNER) schemes.

(d): In  Chhattisgarh,  under  Soil  Health  Mission  141  farmers'  mela,  3145  trainings  and one workshop were organized between year 2018-19 to 2020-21 at different levels.

******