GoI to launch Farmers’ Movement on Integrated Soil Nutrient Management

On May 6, 2020, the Union Minister of Agriculture Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has called for farmers’ movement to integrate soil nutrient management. The announcement was made during progress review of Soil Health Programme.

Highlights

The Farmer movement is to be launched by the Ministry of Agriculture. It will include soil testing and campaigns addressing the importance of application of fertilizers based on reports of soil testing. The movement will cover more than 1 lakh villages. It is to be launched and implemented in 2020-21. The movement will also encourage youths to set up soil testing labs in their villages. The women and members of SHGs will be encouraged to support the movement.

It also aims at promotion of Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP).

Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati

The scheme aims to promote natural farming. It plans to cover 12 lakh hectares of land. It is a centrally sponsored scheme.

Soil Health Programme

The soil health programme was launched in 2015. Under the scheme, soil cards are provided to the farmers that report the soil quality. The cards provide nutrient status of the soil and also information about the application of proper dosage of nutrients to improve soil fertility.

According to National Productivity Council, the Soil Health Card Scheme has promoted sustainable farming. It has decreased the application of fertilizer by 8-10%.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2020