AGRICULTURE CHEMISTRY LABORATORY, A BRIEF ACCOUNT
State Agriculture Chemistry Laboratory was established at IETC Medziphima in the year 1976 with the objective of collecting the Soil samples of the farmers through DAOs, SDAOs and other allied departments as well as NGOs, SHGs and interested individual farmers. The soil samples so collected are analyzed for NPK and the recommendations made for the required doses of inorganic fertilizers to the concerned farmers.
THE VISION:
The sole objective of the departmental Soil testing program is to provide free soil testing service to the farmers for better soil fertility management practices thereby increasing the productivity of the crops specially the state’s staple food crops such as Rice.
Agriculture being the basic profession of the rural populace of the Nagaland with about 2.5 lakh farm holding families engaged in agriculture or other farm based activities, it is felt necessary to intervene in improving their soil health which has been deteriorated for continuous use over the years. It is a known fact that the agricultural crop production has been drastically decreasing during the past years due to depletion of available soil nutrients without replenishment through fertilizer application. Under the above situation it is imperative that the farmers are made aware of the situation and give them proper guidance in management of their soils. Under such circumstances, the soil testing becomes indispensable and for which the departmental intervention is inevitable. Taking in to account the 2.5 lakh farm holders whose soils are to be tested and subsequent re testing after every 5 years it will be required to analyze 50,000 soil samples annually for which well equipped laboratories are required to be set up.
However, with the present status of the existing Agriculture Chemistry Laboratory equipped with obsolete and outdated technologies it is out of question to meet the objectives and the demand of the farmers.
Therefore, in order to achieving our objective, following actions may be given a thorough consideration.
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Promote and strengthen the Soil testing facilities by upgrading the laboratories with latest equipments.
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Incorporate Micro nutrient testing facilities (facilities not available as of now)
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Setting up Soil Testing Laboratories at all the remote and strategically located Districts such as Mon, Tuensang, Phek, Zunheboto, Mokokchung, Wokha.
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Creation of Soil fertility maps using information technologies.
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Creation of Data Bank for all the Soil samples analyzed and the Soil Health Cards issued with recommendations, with the provision that farmers can access the information through net as and when required.
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Upgrade the skill development of STL (Soil Testing Laboratory) Staffs and to equip them with latest technologies through regular trainings.
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Capacity building through trainings to the Field staff at Soil Testing Laboratories and the farmers at DAOs.
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Setting up “AGRO METEOROLOGICAL UNITS” attached to Soil Testing Laboratories.
