Soil Health Card Scheme (Soil Health and Fertility, under RKVY)

What is it?

The Soil Health Card scheme gives farmers a printed report on the health of their own soil. A sample is taken from the field, tested in a laboratory, and the results come back as a card that shows the condition of the soil and what fertiliser should be used, in what quantity, for the crops the farmer grows.

The card covers 12 parameters. These are the macro-nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur; the micro-nutrients zinc, iron, copper, manganese and boron; and pH, electrical conductivity and organic carbon.

The testing is free for the farmer. The Central Government provides Rs 190 per sample to cover the cost of collection, testing and card generation. Cards are issued once every three years, with guidance provided every two years so that changes in soil health can be tracked.

The purpose is practical. Many farmers apply more fertiliser than the soil needs, or the wrong kind. A soil test shows what is actually missing, which can lower input cost and improve yield at the same time.

An important point about how the scheme is organised now: from 2022-23 the Soil Health Card scheme became a component of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, under the name 'Soil Health and Fertility'. It is no longer a separate standalone scheme, though the cards continue to be issued. Samples are collected by trained personnel using GPS tools, and farmers can approach the district agriculture department or the designated coordinator for their area.

Potential benefit

A free printed Soil Health Card for each land holding, reporting 12 soil parameters - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, boron, pH, electrical conductivity and organic carbon - together with crop-wise fertiliser recommendations. There is no cash payment to the farmer. The Central Government provides Rs 190 per sample to cover the full cost of sampling, testing and card generation, so the farmer pays nothing.

Who can apply?

Other conditions stated by the government

• Open to farmers with agricultural land holdings; the card is issued per land holding.
• No income, caste or land-size condition is published for receiving a card.
• Cards are issued once every three years for a given holding.

Eligibility information is provided for informational purposes only. Final eligibility and approval are determined by the relevant government authority.

How to apply

Farmers can approach the district agriculture department or the designated soil sampling coordinator for their area. Trained personnel collect soil samples from designated grids using GPS tools, the samples are tested at a soil testing laboratory, and the card is generated and handed to the farmer. Card details are also made available on the Soil Health Card portal.

Where to apply: offline and online

Deadline

No fixed deadline. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.