Utilization of Soil Health Card in Achieving Surplus Food Production in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh

Soil serves as a combination of minerals, organic matter, air, water and the countless micro-organisms that together support life on earth. Continued degradation of soils has adversely affected crop productivity in the country. The soil health has been impaired due to emergence of multi nutrient deficiencies and falling carbon levels. Government of India planned to issue Soil Health Cards to all the farmers under the scheme Soil Health card Scheme and launched this scheme in 2015. Soil Health Card Scheme has helped India achieve surplus capacity in food grain production. The study was based on both primary and secondary data. The study was conducted in few selected villages of Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh in which it was found that Soil Health Card scheme is being implemented and the farmers were aware of SHCS and are being motivated to utilize the information given in soil health cards. Andhra Pradesh has issued most number of soil health cards to its farmers. It is concluded that majority of respondents have medium level of knowledge and utilization of SHC. Nearly 50% of respondents were utilizing the information given by SHC and stated that there is increase in production.