Perceived feasibility of soil health card recommendations: A multidimensional analysis of technical, economic and social aspects

Le résumé fourni par la source

The Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, launched by the Government of India in 2015, represents one of the most ambitious precision nutrient management initiatives in the country's agricultural history. Despite the nationwide distribution of over 220 million cards, the on-ground adoption of SHC-based fertilizer recommendations remains inconsistent and considerably below expectations. This study investigates the perceived feasibility of SHC-based recommendations among 120 farmer respondents selected through multi-stage random sampling from erstwhile Karimnagar district, Telangana State. Employing an ex-post facto research design, the study measured technical, economic and social dimensions of feasibility across three principal crops rice, maize and cotton. Results indicate that while nitrogen application commanded the highest feasibility (>60% rated 'high'), micronutrient application exhibited the lowest, particularly for maize (54.17% rated 'low'). Application of farmyard manure (FYM) and phosphorus presented intermediate challenges driven by cost and availability constraints. Overall, 40.83% of respondents perceived medium feasibility, 30.00% high and 29.17% low feasibility for SHC-based recommendations. Profile analysis revealed that middle-aged, small-farm holders with medium extension contact dominated the sample. The study identifies key bottlenecks cost of fertilizers, access to micronutrients, inadequate follow-up extension support and low scientific orientation and recommends targeted extension education, input subsidy restructuring and technology-mediated advisory services to enhance SHC compliance.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.