Impact of soil health card scheme on farmers’ income: A case study of kharif crops in Godda district, Jharkhand

Abstract

The paper has analysed the impact of Soil Health Card Scheme on farmers’ income by studying the economics of cultivation of two major kharif crop Paddy and Maize in Godda district of Jharkhand on during year 2018-19. For study, data were collected from 40 soil tested farmers/beneficiaries before and after application of recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF). Godda district has a mono cropping area almost farmers grow paddy crop. The study has found that yield of paddy increased per acre by 17.98 per cent respectively after adoption of RDF. The net income per acre increased from 6366 to 8060 (26.61%) in paddy after soil testing by the farmers. The BC ratio increased from 1.50 to 1.55 (3.78%) in paddy on adoption of RDF by the farmers. Thus, soil health card scheme was found highly beneficial to the farmers in term of increasing their income. However, there is a need to generate awareness about the benefits of this scheme among the farmers on one hand and strengthening of soil testing services / laboratories on the other hand for a wider replication of using RDF as per reference of soil health card.