International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
A Manoj, V Visalakshmi and G Sivanarayana

abstract
The present study was conducted with an objective to study the reasons and constraints in adoption of Soil Health Card (SHC) among the farmers in erstwhile Guntur district. A total of 120 respondents including 90 farmers and 30 extension workers were selected for the study. With respect to the reasons perceived by extension workers for the non-adoption of SHC results by farmers, the majority reported that farmers were unwilling to accept the recommended fertilizer doses, as they believed that the quantities suggested in the SHC were insufficient followed by getting lower yields if applied the fertilizer as per SHC (83.33%) and high dependency of Input dealers (76.67%). Whereas the majority (92.22%) of farmers expressed that they faced difficulty in following the fertilizer doses recommended as per SHC, as the exact quantities prescribed are not readily available as major constraint followed by over dependency on others to get understand about the SHC results (81.11%) and non-availability of micronutrients in nearby shops like zypsum and other micro nutrients to apply (76.67%). With respect to suggestions to overcome the constraints, majority (93.33%) of the extension personnel suggested that it is highly necessary to conduct results demonstrations on Soil Test Based Nutrient Management (STBNM) in the farmers’ fields under the supervision of scientists in order to create awareness about the results of SHC, whereas, majority (86.70%) of the farmers suggested it is also necessary to arrange interactions with successful farmers who were benefited by using SHCs wherever possible.