Reasons and constraints in adoption of soil Health card among the farmers and suggestions to overcome

Introduction

Govt of India initiated Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme in the year 2015 in order to empower the farmers for sustainable growth for stable yields with optimum cost of cultivation by minimizing the excessive use of fertilizers. Over and over use of fertilizers not only increase the costs but also make the soil unfertile and become barren. The purpose of scheme was mainly to issue soil health cards every 3 years so as to provide a basis to address nutrient deficiencies; to strengthen functioning of Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) through capacity building; to diagnose soil fertility related constraints; to develop and promote soil test based nutrient management and finally to build capacities of staff as well as progressive farmers for promotion of nutrient management practices (soilhealth.dac.gov.in, 2017). The overall objective is to achieve the Integrated Nutrient Management by judicious use of chemical fertilizers in combination with organic manures and biofertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity. But the deficiency of primary nutrients & secondary nutrients and micronutrients occurs in most parts of country due to imbalanced application of fertilizers (Singh et al, 2020) [6] . As the year after year passes, farmers continually increase the use of fertilizers. In view of the above, the present study has been taken to identify the reasons as well as constraints in adoption of soil health card results by involving both the farmers and gross root level extension workers.

Materials and Methods

A Structured Interview schedule was developed for collection of data from the farmers as well as extension workers of Erstwhile Guntur district during the year 2019-20. Ex-post facto research design was employed. Out of 57 Mandals in the districts, 3 mandals and from each mandal 2 villages were selected. A total of 90 farmers at the rate 15 farmers from each village were selected randomly to study the constraints perceived in adoption of SHC results. Beside the farmers, 10 gross root level extension workers from each mandal were selected to study the reasons perceived by the extension workers for non-adoption of SHC results by farmers. Thus, a total sample was 120. Descriptive statics viz., frequency and percentage were used to anylise and interpret the data www.extensionjournal.com With respect to constraints perceived by extension workers in adoption of SHC results by the farmers that majority (93.33%) reported in Table 1. that farmers were unwilling to accept the recommended fertilizer doses, as they believed that the quantities suggested in the SHC were insufficient which was ranked first followed by getting lower yields if applied the fertilizer as per SHC (83.33%), High dependency of Input dealers (76.67%), Influencing of neighboring farmers (63.33%) and Lack of awareness about the advantages of soil sampling (60.00%). Farmers applying higher fertilizers with expectation of higher yields since most of them are tenant farmers as well as a high difference in recommended dose as per the SHC and farmers practice against fertilizer application led the farmers not to follow the recommended dose. The present investigation revealed several notable suggestions given by the extension personnel, as elucidated in Table 3. Majority (93.33%) that it is needed to conduct demonstrations on Soil Test Based Nutrient Management (STBNM) in farmers' fields under the supervision of scientists in order to create awareness about the results of www.extensionjournal.com SHC ranks 1 st followed by establish soil testing laboratory along with sufficient staff at every panchayat (80.00%), create awareness about benefits and usage of soil health cards among farmers at larger scale before commencement of the kharif season (73.33%), Establish fertilizer shops run by Govt institutions in addition to private dealers (76.67%) and making follow-up visits after issuing SHC to the farmers in order to record their adoption levels (66.67%). To overcome the constraints, majority (86.70%) of the farmers suggested in Table 4 that it is necessary to arrange interactions with farmers who were benefited by using SHCs wherever possible which was ranked 1 st among the suggestions followed by SHC should be as simple as possible to understand by the farmers (83.30%), provide soil health cards in right time (73.30%), take soil samples in proper time and in proper way by the skilled team (65.00%) and farmers need to be involved while collection of the soil sample in their field (64.44%). Similarly, Manisha Das et al., in their study elicited that mobile soil testing laboratory for on-spot delivery of soil health cards, timely agriculture extension services and making availability of recommended inputs in the market were the suggestions given by the farmers to overcome the constraints in adoption of SHC results. Further, Raini et al also reported that government could organize awareness training programs to farmers on soil health card (89.16%) followed by making availability of recommended inputs in the market (75.83%), the soil sampling should be done in presence of farmers to increase the credibility of soil health card (83.33%), interpretation of results of Soil Health Card should make simpler with visual charts (77.50%) and mobile soil testing laboratory for on spot delivery of soil health cards (72.50) were the suggestions expressed by the farmers to overcome the constraints in adoption of SHC results.

Results and Discussion

Conclusion

It was elicited from the study that, though the SHC augments the Integrated Nutrient Management by judicious use of chemical fertilizers, majority of the farmers were not able use the SHC results due to various notable constraints such as farmers were unwilling to accept the recommended fertilizer doses, as they believed that the quantities suggested in the SHC were insufficient, low fertilizers results lower the yields as well as facing difficulty in following the fertilizer doses recommended as per SHC, as the exact quantities prescribed are not readily available and over dependency on others to get understand about the SHC results is another important constraint as many of the farmers were not literate or having primary school education. In light of the constraints, as suggested by the farmers, it is highly required to popularize the benefits of SHC by organizing result demonstration in the farmers fields at larger scale as well as it's necessary to arrange interactions with successful farmers who have followed SHC results. Farmers expect the SHC report before the commencement of season, hence, mobile soil testing laboratories are the alternative where the establishment of soil testing labs are not possible. Beside private dealers, all the essential fertilizers should be made available for sale at government institutions at village level like Rythu Seva Kendras with sufficient technical staff to ensure transparency and to reap sustainable yields for the benefit of the farming community.

References

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