Celebration of Soil Health Card Day at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Palem on 19-02-2020

Department of Agriculture, Nagarkurnool organized “Soil Health Card Day” in colloboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Palem, at Appaji Palli Village, Thimmajipet Mandal on 19.02.2020. Soil Health Card Day is being observed across the country on February 19, 2020. The Soil Health Card Scheme was launched by PM Modi on this day about five years ago on February 19, 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan. Coincidentally, the International Year of Soils was celebrated the same year. The objectives of the Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme are to issue soil health cards to farmers every two years so as to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in fertilization practices. Dr. T. Prabhakar Reddy, Programme Coordinator, KVK, Palem highlighted the importance of soil testing in fertilizer recommendations and explained the benefits of soil health cards. Sri.M.Venkateshwarlu , DAO Incharge, Nagarkurnool emphasized that soil testing is developed to promote soil test based nutrient management. Soil testing reduces cultivation cost by application of right quantity of fertilizer. It ensures additional income to farmers by increase in yields and it also promotes sustainable farming. Sri.K.Ramakrishna, SMS (Crop Production) stressed about the importance soil testing, balanced fertilization in enhancing crop yields and sustaining soil fertility through soil test based nutrient management. Sri. Kamal Kumar, Mandal Agricultural Officer, Thimmajipet narrated about the benefits of soil sample collection, soil testing and soil test target based fertilizer recommendations and delivered vote of thanks. A total of 42 farmers, Department Officials, RAWEP students were participated in the programme.