The Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme was launched in February 2015 to assess the soil nutrient status and provide farmers with soil health cards every two years.

The scheme aims to:

• Provide information to farmers on soil nutrient status of their soil
• Provide advice on appropriate dosage of nutrients for improving soil health and fertility
• Promote balanced and integrated use of plant nutrients
• Improve soil health and fertility for sustainable farming

The Soil Health Card contains:

• Status of soil with respect to 12 parameters: N, P, K (Macro-nutrients); S (Secondary nutrient); Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro-nutrients); and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters)
• Recommendations on appropriate dosage of fertilizers and soil amendments required for the farm
• Advice on soil test based nutrient management for 100+ crops

The scheme operates through a cycle of soil sample collection, testing in soil labs, and generation and distribution of soil health cards. The government has established a network of soil testing labs across the country to support this initiative.

Farmers can use the information provided in the soil health card to make informed decisions about the type and quantity of fertilizers to use, which can lead to improved soil health, higher yields, and reduced input costs.