Soil Health Card (SHC) is a Government of India’s scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. It is being implemented through the Department of Soil & Water Conservation in the state of Nagaland. A SHC is meant to give each farmer soil nutrient status of his/her holding and advice him/her on the dosage of fertilizers and also the needed soil amendments, that s/he should apply to maintain soil health in the long run.
What is a Soil Health Card?: SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings. It will contain the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N, P, K (Macro-nutrients); S (Secondary- nutrient); Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro – nutrients); and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.
How can a farmer use a SHC? : The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients needed. Further, it will advise the farmer on the fertilizers and their quantities he should apply, and also the soil amendments that he should undertake, so as to realize optimal yields.
Will the farmer get a card every year and for every crop?: It will be made available once in a cycle of 2 years, which will indicate the status of soil health of a farmer’s holding for that particular period. The SHC given in the next cycle of 2 years will be able to record the changes in the soil health for that subsequent period.
What is a soil testing laboratory?: It is a facility for testing the soil sample for 12 parameters. This facility can be static or mobile or it can even be portable to be used in remote areas.
Who and Where will the soil sample be tested? : The soil sample will be tested as per the approved standards for all the agreed 12 parameters at the Soil Testing Laboratories set up by the Department of Soil & Water Conservation in all the districts of Nagaland.
To locate your nearest soil testing laboratory, kindly contact your nearest office:
| Sl.
No. |
District | Office Name | |
| 1. | Kohima | Directorate of Soil & Water Conservation, Kohima | soilhealthcard.nl[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 2. | Kohima | Soil & Water Conservation Research, Demonstration & Training Centre, Sechu-Zubza | rdtcsechuzubza123[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 3. | Kohima | District Soil Conservation Office, Kohima | dscokohima[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 4. | Dimapur | District Soil Conservation Office, Dimapur | dscodimapur[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 5. | Mokokchung | District Soil Conservation Office, Mokokchung | dscomkg64[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 6. | Zunheboto | District Soil Conservation Office, Zunheboto | dscozbto2021[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 7. | Longleng | District Soil Conservation Office, Longleng | dscolongleng[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 8. | Phek | District Soil Conservation Office, Phek | phekdsco[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 9. | Peren | District Soil Conservation Office, Peren | dscojlk[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 10. | Mon | District Soil Conservation Office, Mon | dscomon[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 11. | Kiphire | District Soil Conservation Office, Kiphire | kiphiredsco[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 12. | Tuensang | District Soil Conservation Office, Tuensang | dsco.tsg[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
| 13. | Wokha | District Soil Conservation Office, Wokha | dscowka[AT]gmail[DOT]com |
