Soil Survey Activities

The shift from the conventional agriculture to modern agriculture, intensive agriculture dominated by economic considerations alone has accelerated the deterioration of the soil quality. The indiscriminate use of the chemical fertilizers without considering the actual requirement of the crop or the soil is one of the major causes affecting the soil quality. An intervention was highly essential so as to maintaining sustenance of soil health. Hence Soil Survey Unit intended to provide Soil health management support service to farmers by providing Soil health cards to individual farmers on per plot basis by launching the prestigious Soil Health Card programme during the Eleventh Plan period. The nutrient requirement of the crop and the nutrient supplying power of the soil governs the quantity of plant nutrients on which the crop is grown. Obtaining the maximum production potential of a particular crop also depends on the environment and the skill of the farmer/grower in identifying and eliminating those factors that reduce the production potential. With these objectives Soil Health card help to evaluate the health or quality of a soil as a function of its various characteristics.

 This card gives

 various physico-chemical properties like available macro and micro nutrients, water holding capacity, CEC, soil texture, content of exchangeable bases, exchangeable acidity ,soil pH, EC, organic carbon content.

• General recommendations on the management practices suitable to the particular plot.
• It provide site specific nutrient management plans ensuring availability of proper levels of nutrients to all parts of the field and avoiding excess applications ensuring reduction in input cost and eliminating deleterious effect of excess chemical use.

 Soil Health Management under NMSA (Central sector scheme)

Central sector scheme Soil Health Management under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture aims at promoting location as well as crop specific sustainable Soil Health Management including judicious application of fertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity. The Government of India envisages distribution of Soil Health cards to each and every farmer in the India under this scheme. The Department of Soil Survey and Soil Conservation jointly implemented the scheme in the state during 2015-16. Out of the target of 63800 soil samples to be collected from he state, the Department was assigned a major share of 43800 soil samples. Under the scheme, 45000 soil samples were collected, analysed and 32500 soil heath cards generated during 2015-16. Together with the Dept of Agriculture and other agencies, Kerala could generate 42000 cards taking the state to 3^rd position in the country. The Department has altogether issued over one lakh solo health cards under varius programmes since 2007.   

List of panchayats selected for soil health card distribution under Soil Health card scheme 2015-16

Soil is the rooting medium for plant growth. Crop plants require a steady supply of major and micro elements for optimum crop production and productivity. Due to recurrent use of the same piece of land for repeated farming, the fertility and productivity of the land have gone down. Land degradation has lead to deleterious effects in crop yield. A study of the health of the soil in terms of inorganic nutrient status content and its microbial status will help to understand the limitations of the soil and suggest ameliorative measures. Soil analysis is also necessary for scientific soil taxonomic classification purpose.

SOIL ANALYSIS LABORATORIES

The Department has seven soil analytical laboratories as given below
 

* The Soil and Plant Health Clinics are not independent units ; but attached to the office of the Assistant Director (Soil Survey) of the respective districts and run by the staff of that office

As part of Detailed Soil Survey and Reconnaissance Soil Survey, soil profile studies are undertaken. Horizon-wise samples are collected from the soil profiles. Soil chemical characteristics are analysed in the laboratories to identify and confirm soil series and also to assess the range in characteristics under each series. Taxonomic classification is undertaken based on physico-chemical characteristics.

Soil fertility studies of surface samples collected from panchayats during soil survey are carried out. Micronutrient studies are also undertaken. The details and site specific recommendations are incorporated in Soil Health Cards for distribution to farmers.

Special estimations like estimation of nitrate nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, organic matter fractionation studies, salinity studies, estimation and detection of heavy metals in soils and in biological organisms as requested by the user agency as part of consultancy services.

Infrastructure facilities

All the labs are well equipped to carry out soil analyses for agricultural purpose. All the labs have equipments such Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, Spectrophotometer, Flame photometer, pH meter, Conductivity bridge etc.

Analyses carried out

• Pedological Analysis

The labs part of Detailed Soil Survey and Reconnaissance Soil Survey, soil profile studies are undertaken. Horizon-wise samples are collected from the soil profiles. Soil chemical characteristics are analysed in the laboratories to identify and confirm soil series and also to assess the range in characteristics under each series. Taxonomic classification is undertaken based on physico-chemical characteristics.

• Soil Fertility analysis

Soil fertility studies of surface samples collected including secondary and micronutrients are undertaken. Incorporated in Soil Health Cards for distribution to farmers.

• Pesticide residue analysis

Infrastructure facilities for Pesticide residue analysis is available at Central Soil Analytical Lab , Parottukonam, Thiruvananthapuram; Regional Soil Analytical lab, Thrissur and Hi-tech Soil Analytical Lab, Wayanad

• Microbiological studies

Central Soil Analytical Lab , Parottukonam, Thiruvananthapuram is having facilities to carry out microbial analysis of the soils, which is a good indicator of soil health.

Special estimations like estimation of nitrate nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, organic matter fractionation studies, salinity studies, estimation and detection of heavy metals in soils and in biological organisms as requested by the user agency.

User defined parameters will be analysed at the labs charging user fees 

Equitable and sustainable management of natural resources not only provides for a sound strategy to remove rural poverty and enhance rural livelihood, but is also imperative for national security. The alarming rate of depletion of natural resources is the single most challenging factor that has drawn the attention of farmers, technicians, scientists, planners, administrators and policy makers. The constant compulsion for increasing agricultural production to meet the food needs of the increasing population has adversely affected the carrying capacity of the soils thereby aggravating soil degradation. As 60% of our agriculture is rainfed, mainly concentrated in hilly and mountainous regions, where public investment is negligible, widespread resource degradation, low productivity and mass poverty is concentrated in rainfed areas. A sound resource management strategy is fundamental to ensure sustainability of agricultural production. Soil, as a resource is the key determinant that has to be managed in a scientific manner in order to keep it sustainable. Soil information is vital for proper diagnosis of soil, optimal use of soil resources, adopting land use as per land capability potential and maintenance of soil health. It is imperative to generate soil information with spatial distribution to cater the demand of various stakeholders dealing with soil related activities in the implementation for various developmental programmes in the state.

The Department serves to provide sound soil and land resource information highlighting soil and water conservation needs for optimizing resource utilisation adopting scientific land use as per land capability for ensuring soil health. The soil and land resource inventory of each area carried out by the Department will provide necessary scientific  database for adopting suitable soil and water conservation measures to prevent soil erosion, enhance ground water recharge and to synergise agricultural sector through enhancing productivity.The generation of scientific database on soil and land resources through various kinds of Soil Surveys for formulation and execution of developmental programmes at micro and macro level is one of the major mandate of the department.

The Soil Survey activities include Reconnaissance Soil Survey, Detailed Soil Survey and Intensive Detailed Soil Survey.

Reconnaissance soil surveys are carried out to prepare resource inventory of large area such as a district, state region, etc. This provides information needed for broad land use planning, agricultural development and for detailed soil survey.

Detailed soil surveys provide inventory of the soils of the area for micro level planning. It is undertaken in priority areas like watershed development projects, village level planning, etc which can be obtained by mapping of all the existing land resources like soils, climate, minerals and rocks, ground water, vegetation, crops, land use pattern, infra structure, marketing facilities, etc.

High Intensity Soil Surveys are carried out for location specific inventorisation. For eg. A Farm, Research station etc.

          Detailed Soil Survey will be initiated in areas where Reconnaissance Soil Survey had been completed. Detailed Soil Survey at panchayat level was started in full swing subsequent to the completion of Reconnaissance Soil Survey after VIII Plan period in the state. During the initial period, Detailed Soil Survey was undertaken at taluk level or for special projects such as irrigation projects, Soil Conservation schemes, Research Stations and Farms under the Kerala Agricultural University, survey of other institutions, DSS of watersheds under NWDPRA, WGDP, NABARD, etc. Village level maps were generated for taluk wise Detailed Soil Survey. These works were carried out by various offices sanctioned for particular schemes without any geographical limitations.

          The soil and land resource inventory reports and maps are the final output of various intensities of Soil Surveys. They contain detailed description of each soil unit with general description of geographical conditions, soil problems, crop production, crop suitability, land capability, irrigability, soil conservation priority, conservation measures to be adopted, problems with present land use, suggestions for improvement etc. They also contain socio economic details of the panchayat. These reports are made available to the various user agencies for planning various development programmes on soil and water conservation, water management, farm level planning, land reclamation etc.

The statement below showsarea wise Detailed Soil Survey and updation status of districts

STATUS OF SOIL SURVEY

INVENTORISATION OF WATERSHEDS

          Watershed related works consist of the delineation and Detailed Soil Survey of watersheds selected under various projects such as NWDPRA, WGDP etc and the preparation of watershed reports.