A Study on Farmer’s Constraints in Utilizing Soil Health Card and Suggestions to Overcome in Rangareddy District of Telangana State

Abstract

Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy and primary source of income of larger part of Indian population. In view of this, Global soil partnership was conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization at its headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 7 to 9 September 2011. With this, Government of India had launched the Soil Health Card Scheme in 2015 to distribute soil health cards (SHCs) to each farmer with advanced technologies such as GPS-enabled tablets and mass testing, along with better fertilizer subsidy policies. The present study was conducted in two blocks namely Shabad and Kothur of Rangareddy district of Telangana State during the year 2019-2020 to analyse farmers constraints in utilizing soil health card and suggestions to overcome. Ex-post-facto-research design was used for the study. Data was collected using a standardised and pre-tested interview schedule. Unavailability of bio-fertilizers to follow recommended combinations (Rank I), labours were not capable to understand the balanced fertilizers application use (Rank II), cost of recommended inputs (Rank III) and delay in distribution of soil health cards (Rank IV) were being the major constraints experienced by farmers. Important suggestions offered by the farmers for the effective usage of soil health cards are: Government could organize awareness training programs to farmers about soil health cards (Rank I), to increase the credibility of the soil health card, soil sampling should be done in presence of farmers. (Rank II), the interpretation of the results on soil health cards need to be made simpler with visual charts (Rank III) and making the availability of recommended inputs in market (Rank IV). Need to be viewed seriously by making the availability of bio-fertilizers as per recommended combinations by the agricultural department and appropriate actions to be taken for timely distributing of cards and appropriate time to win the confidence of the farmers.