news details |
|
|
| Significance of celebrating 'Soil Day' | | | Sanjay Swami and Mamta Phogat | 12/4/2015 9:12:47 PM |
| Today is 'World Soil Day' (WSD). The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002 made a resolution proposing the 5th of December as 'World Soil Day' to commemorate the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system and as a vital contributor to human well being. The 'World Soil Day' campaign aims to connect people with soils and raise awareness on their critical importance in our lives. One of the several ways of connecting people with soils is to restore and preserve the soil health. Besides this, the year 2015 is being celebrated as 'International Year of Soils' indicating that Soil health is clearly an international concern, which affects countries all over the world. It can take up to 1000 years to form just 1 cm of soil and with 33 per cent of the world's soils currently degraded, raising awareness about the importance of soils is a top priority in 2015 and beyond.
Soil is the foundation of the world's farmers. In India, blanket fertilizer recommendations are followed for nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) in general which rarely matches soil fertility need, and often ignoring secondary and micro nutrients, in various cropping systems followed by small and marginal farmers. Keeping in view the above facts, Government of India is promoting integrated nutrient management (INM) i.e. balanced and judicious use of chemical fertilizers, along with bio-fertilizers and locally available organic manures based on soil testing to maintain soil health and crop productivity. Recognising the need of hour, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi has decided to issue Soil Health Cards (SHCs) to the farmers on the occasion of 'World Soil Day' by using its network of 650 soil testing laboratories. Approximately 200 soil testing laboratories are being run under the administrative control of different Agricultural Universities and Deemed Universities. Further, on this occasion, some special programmes are organized by inviting local public representative along with farmers to create awareness and publicity about Soil Health Cards. Soil health card is a field-specific detailed report of soil fertility status and other important soil parameters that affect crop productivity. 'Soil Health Card' scheme was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi on February 19, 2015 from Suratgarh town of Rajasthan. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, called for focusing attention on soil health in agricultural areas across the country, to boost productivity and bring about increased prosperity. The Prime Minister gave a slogan: Swasth Dharaa, Khet Haraa means Healthy Soil, Green Farm. Under the scheme, 14 crore Soil Health Cards are envisaged to be issued to the farmers over the next 3 years through the technical support from ICAR/NARES.
Hill and mountainous areas in India are vastly distributed all over the country with a larger area located in Himalayas, extending up to 2,500 km in length and 250 to 400 km in breadth. The dominant features of hill farming in North-West Himalayas are small land holdings, sloping marginal land, rainfall-dependent farming and shallow soils prone to erosion. If we focus our attention on hilly region of Jammu and Kashmir, the soil profile is severally affected by large scale deforestation, soil-erosion (a high rate of 80.0 t/ha, top soil and micro-nutrients washes away annually), dry water bodies, soil acidity, high intensity rainfall, snow and frost, etc. Even the mega bio-diversity that has income augmenting potentiality and serene environment situation is also depleting fast making the sustainability at stake. Thus, effective strategy is essential to maintain balanced growth pathways with limited resource base of the household such as smaller cultivable area, large forest coverage.
Poonch is one of the hilly, tribal, remote and border districts of Jammu and Kashmir in North-Western Himalayas. It is bounded by the Indo-Pak Line of Control (LoC) from three sides. Majority of the fields in this district are situated across the hilly slopes which demand a treatment little different from the standard followed in the mainland plain areas. Soil is the most crucial input in deciding the agricultural productivity; however farmers of Poonch have been forced to depend on agriculture for years without knowing the status of their soil. The exact understanding of soil status leads to better and more economic use of fertilizers and better soil management practices. In order to serve best the farmers of district, the team of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Poonch under the patronage of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu worked hard to collect 300 soil samples from every nook and corner of the district. First time in the history of Poonch, soil sampling has been done with recording of GPS co-ordinates and elevation. The record and database of such location specific soil sampling will create lifetime opportunity for soil fertility management in a better way. The collected soil samples were analysed following standard methods for various parameters namely pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), and available N, P, K, S and micronutrients, and accordingly, Soil Health Cards were prepared for each sample representing each farmer.
The status of soil health will be communicated to the farmers directly through issuing of Soil Health Cards during the celebration of 'World Soil Day' by KVK Poonch on 5th December 2015 at its Campus involving local public representatives. The aim of organizing this mega event to aware the farmers about their soil health status and to recommend the management practices on the basis of respective scores. Besides soil health, SHCs will also provide an advisory on soil test based use of fertilizers and amendments. These cards shall be revised and issued again after every 3 years in respect of all landholdings in order to capture the soil fertility changes occurring due to plant uptake or other natural causes. More attention shall be given on the follow up measures on the soil nutrient deficiencies identified in Soil Health Cards. It will promote balanced and judicious use of plant nutrients and promote integrated nutrient management system.
The significance of celebrating the 'World Soil Day' and 'International Year of Soils' lies in our re-affirmation to preserve the soils and to create healthy soils for a healthier and more sustainable life of humanity. There are infinite types of soil on our planet which perform numerous key functions and guarantee food security and nutrition. Protecting them should be a priority for everyone. If we safeguard and nurture our soils, they will in turn produce healthy food and a healthy environment, ultimately ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. So make a difference, think globally and act locally!! Lend a hand to save soils and make everyday 'Soil Day.' |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
