Application of fertilisers based on soil testing on a mission mode is creating a quiet revolution. Analyse in the context of Soil health card programme (200 Words)
Refer - The Indian Express
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IAS Parliament 5 years
KEY POINTS
· The leveraging of agricultural research and technology proved successful. India, in 2018-19, produced 284.95 million tonnes (mt) of foodgrains roughly 3.5 times the pre-Green Revolution level — and that included 23.40 mt of pulses.
· However, the above output increases have also come at the cost of our natural resources, especially soil and water.
· Keeping in view the deleterious effects of the rampant and imbalanced use of chemical fertilisers, a unique programme of Soil Health Cards (SHC) was launched by the Central government, laying the foundation for evidence-based integrated nutrient management in Indian agriculture..
· The SHC programme, implemented over the last five years, assesses soil fertility in terms of the availability of key nutrients — primary (nitrogen, phosphorous and potash) as well as secondary (sulphur) and micro (iron, zinc, copper, manganese and boron) — and physical parameters (electrical conductivity, pH and organic carbon).
· The SHCs issued to individual farmers also carry a prescription of the right dosage of nutrients based on both deficiency and crops grown in the soils of their particular area.
· The programme itself has evolved into a mission mode project, to instill belief among farmers in the prescriptions and application of fertilisers as per the SHCs issued to them.
· The SHCs are only the first link in ensuring healthy soils and production of safe and nutritious food.
· The SHC programme has also attracted global attention. India is assisting Nepal in setting up soil-testing facilities and capacity building for integrated nutrient management and certified organic farming.
· These also figure in India’s initiatives in South-South Cooperation focusing on African countries.
· In a nutshell, the judicious application of fertilisers based on SHC prescription has multifold benefits in terms of improved soil health, safe food and mitigating climate change.
Shivangi 5 years
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IAS Parliament 5 years
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HB 5 years
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IAS Parliament 5 years
Good answer. Keep Writing.
