International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development Overcome the constraints faced by paddy growers in utilizing soil health card in north coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Soil test based nutrient management has become a major concern in attempts to boost agricultural production and productivity since soil analysis-based optimal fertiliser utilisation can boost crop productivity and reduce nutrient waste, reducing environmental impact and bias through optimal production. Governments use Soil Health Cards to help with these. The current study conducted in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh during 2023-24. The main objective is overcome the problems by paddy growers in utilizing soil health card and to seek suggestions from them. The findings were indicated the primary challenges faced by paddy growers is the time gap between soil samples taken and issuing cards is too long received highest mean score of 2.65 and ranked first. Accordingly significant problems highlighted includes the Received soil health cards after crop harvest and Difficulty in calculating fertilizer dose on the basis of the nutrient status of soil both ranked second with same mean score of 2.61, Unavailability of laboratory ranked third, Unable to operate internet ranked fourth, Unavailability of proper internet ranked five. The suggestions are given by paddy growers were Crop wise recommended dose of fertilizer should be given ranked first, availability of micronutrient status should be displayed ranked second, SHC should be issued prior to crop season ranked third, Soil testing laboratory should be established at Mandal level with highly qualified supporting staff ranked four, the farmers should be trained to take soil sample of its own ranked five, Soil sampling procedure should be done in presence of farmer is ranked six.

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P-ISSN: 2618-0723 NAAS Rating: 5.04
E-ISSN: 2618-0731 www.extensionjournal.com
International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development
Volume 7; Issue 6; June 2024; Page No. 06-08
Received: 07-03-2024 Indexed Journal
Accepted: 13-04-2024 Peer Reviewed Journal
Overcome the constraints faced by paddy growers in utilizing soil health card in
north coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh
1Chundru Ramya Madhuri, 2Akkamahadevi Naik, 2Ashokkumar and 4Chitrasena Padhy
1PG Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, CUTM,
Paralakhemundi, Odisha, India
2Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, CUTM,
Paralakhemundi, Odisha, India
4Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, CUTM,
Paralakhemundi, Odisha, India
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33545/26180723.2024.v7.i6a.661
Corresponding Author: Akkamahadevi Naik
Abstract
Soil test based nutrient management has become a major concern in attempts to boost agricultural production and productivity since soil
analysis-based optimal fertiliser utilisation can boost crop productivity and reduce nutrient waste, reducing environmental impact and bias
through optimal production. Governments use Soil Health Cards to help with these. The current study conducted in Srikakulam and
Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh during 2023-24. The main objective is overcome the problems by paddy growers in utilizing soil
health card and to seek suggestions from them. The findings were indicated the primary challenges faced by paddy growers is the time gap
between soil samples taken and issuing cards is too long received highest mean score of 2.65 and ranked first. Accordingly significant
problems highlighted includes the Received soil health cards after crop harvest and Difficulty in calculating fertilizer dose on the basis of the
nutrient status of soil both ranked second with same mean score of 2.61, Unavailability of laboratory ranked third, Unable to operate internet
ranked fourth, Unavailability of proper internet ranked five. The suggestions are given by paddy growers were Crop wise recommended dose
of fertilizer should be given ranked first, availability of micronutrient status should be displayed ranked second, SHC should be issued prior
to crop season ranked third, Soil testing laboratory should be established at Mandal level with highly qualified supporting staff ranked four,
the farmers should be trained to take soil sample of its own ranked five, Soil sampling procedure should be done in presence of farmer is
ranked six.
Keywords: Soil test, paddy growers, soil health card, constraints faced by farmers
Introduction
Soil plays important role in increasing agriculture
production in sustainable manners Concerns have been
raised about the declining soil health and its unsatisfactory
use of agricultural resources. The thin layer of material that
covers the surface of the Earth is called soil, and it provides
ecosystem services, environmental buffering, and food,
feed, and fibre production for all living things (Barrios,
2007) [1]. Soil is thought to have either good or negative
environmental consequences, depending on how it is
maintained. Long-term organic farming systems have the
potential to preserve soil productivity, lower soil erosion,
and greatly increase organic matter content when properly
maintained and can raise crop quality while keeping a
steady production. Lack of organic matter addition,
improper fertiliser application, and a failure to gradually
replenish depleted micro-and secondary nutrients have
resulted in nutrient shortages and a decline in soil fertility in
many parts of the country (Yadav et al., 2023) [8]. A soil
health card (SHC) is intended to provide a farmer with
information on the nutritional condition of his land as well
as recommendations on fertiliser and micronutrient dosages
and necessary soil amendments to sustain soil health over
the long term. Most Indian soils are deficient in major and
micronutrients, with an average SOC concentration of
approximately 0.54%. More than 70% of soils in farmer's
fields appear to have either high soil acidity or high soil
alkalinity, according to extensive soil testing. With around
29% of the land under land degradation, the Indian populace
is malnourished due to a lack of several plant nutrients (Das
et al., 2022) [3]. The programme is regarded as an all-
encompassing approach to improving agricultural economy
and soil health (Jaiswal et al., 2018) [5]. The Soil Health
Card (SHC) programme was first introduced in February
2015, 84 lakh cards were intended to be distributed.
However, 34 lakh cards have been distributed as of July
2015 (Niranjan et al., 2018) [7]. The 12 soil parameters-pH,
EC, organic carbon, macronutrients like nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur, and micronutrients like
zinc, iron, manganese, copper, and boron-are all included in
the printed report known as the Soil Health Card (Madhu et
al., 2020) [6]. Based on the soil nutrient state of a farmer's

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holding, the card includes an advisory. It provides
suggestions for the dosage of various nutrients required to
achieve the best results (Ghaswa et al., 2019) [4]. Based on
the technological support given by the Indian Council of
Agriculture Research (ICAR) and State/Central Agricultural
Universities, the Indian government is putting in place a
number of programmes for the wise use of soil resources in
order to guarantee the highest level of agricultural
productivity and profitability for farming communities. The
National Mission on Soil Health Card, the Biogas and
Manure Management Schemes, the Nutrient-Based Subsidy
scheme, and the Soil Health Management component of the
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) are a
few noteworthy government projects (Chaudhari et al.,
2020) [2].
Methodology
The research is conducted in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram
districts of Andhra Pradesh, it is intentionally chosen for
this study. By using the simple random sampling technique
whereas 3 mandals are chosen from each district and within
each mandal two villages were selected. These areas are
specially targeted due more number soil health cards
farmers. Thus, a total 180 respondents were selected for
study. Using a pre-tested, organised interview schedule
created in accordance with the study's goals, the researcher
personally gathered the data. The goal of the study was
personally communicated to the respondents by the
researcher. Following a brief conversation to build rapport,
the recipient of the soil health card conducted an interview
with the respondents, recording their answers in the
interview schedule. The gathered information was converted
into the tabulated normal score. Every piece of information
was methodically organised and tabulated. The data were
analysed and interpreted using basic statistical methods,
such as frequency and percentage and mean.
Results and discussion
The data in table 1 reveals that the main obstacles paddy
growers faced in accepting the soil health card programme
were the time gap between soil samples taken and issuing
cards is too long with mean score (2.65). The lack of
personnel necessary for soil sampling and soil testing under
SHCS, Department of Agriculture Cooperation, may be the
cause. the Received soil health cards after crop harvest and
Difficulty in calculating fertilizer dose on the basis of the
nutrient status of soil both same mean score (2.61). Farmers
implemented internalize recommendations and changed
their preferred fertiliser mix based on SHC information;
however, they were unable to implement these
recommendations by changing their actual application due
to other issues including cost, liquidity, or timely supply of
fertilisers. Unavailability of laboratory (2.57), Unable to
operate internet (2.52), Unavailability of proper internet
with mean score (2.43). It could be the case that there were
fewer demonstration camps held to familiarise users with
the Soil Health Card Portal's interface and that none were
planned.
Therefore, it can be inferred that the main obstacles farmers
faced in adopting soil health cards were the lengthy delay
between taking a soil sample and issuing the card, receiving
the card after crop harvest, and the challenge of determining
the appropriate fertiliser dosage based on the soil's nutrient
status.
Table 1: Major constraints faced by paddy growers in adoption of soil health card. n=180
Sr. No.
Constraints
Mean
Rank
1
Unavailability of laboratory
2.57
III
2
Difficulty in calculating fertilizer dose on the basis of the nutrient status of soil
2.61
II
3
Unable to operate internet
2.52
IV
4
Received soil health cards after crop harvest
2.61
II
5
The time gap between soil samples taken and issuing cards is too long
2.65
I
6
Unavailability of proper internet
2.43
V
The data in Table 2 showed that the main recommendations
made by the farmers to get around the obstacles to the
acceptance of the soil health card programme were: 73.33
percent recommended fertiliser doses for each crop; 69.44
percent for micronutrient status displays; 56.11% for SHC
issued prior to crop season; 50.00 percent for the
establishment of a soil testing laboratory at the taluka level
with highly qualified support staff; 48.88 percent for
training farmers to take soil samples from their own soil;
and 38.88 percent of the procedure should be carried out in
the presence of the farmer.
The majority of paddy growers recommended, it can be
argued, that there should be a crop-wise recommended dose
of fertilizer should be given.
Table 2: The paddy farmers provide suggestions to help them get past the obstacles they face.
Sr. No.
Suggestions
Frequency
Percentage
Rank
1
Crop wise recommended dose of fertilizer should be given.
132
73.33%
I
2
Availability of micronutrient status should be displayed.
125
69.44%
II
3
SHC should be issued prior to crop season.
101
56.11%
III
4
Soil testing laboratory should be established at Mandal level with highly qualified supporting staff.
90
50.00%
IV
5
The farmer should be trained to take a soil sample of its own soil.
88
48.88%
V
6
Soil sampling procedure should be done in presence of farmer.
70
38.88%
VI
Conclusion
It concluded that major constraints faced by paddy farmers
in adopting soil health card were w the following: the
inability to calculate dosages accurately, there is too much
time between collecting soil samples and sending out cards,
obtained cards on soil health following crop harvest. It is

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therefore recommended that policymakers create
appropriate programmes, teach farmers, and appoint change
agents to make the most use of the soil health card. Every
farmer should receive a SHC from the government each
year, along with training to help them better grasp the
information contained in the documents.
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