One Day Farmers Training Programme on Soil Testing under Centrally Sponsored Scheme, NMAET-ATMA has been inaugurated by Director Agriculture, Jammu, H. K. Razdan, here today.Speaking on the occasion, Director Agriculture highlighted the importance of soil testing for judicious and balanced use of fertilizers and stop degradation of the soils. He said that Department has set targets to provide Soil Health Cards to each farmer within three years to enable them for balanced application of fertilizers and restoration of “Soil Health”. He stressed on acquiring knowledge and skills for sustainable development of Agriculture and achievement of results as per targets. He further said that soil samples are being collected from the grid of 2.5 hectares in irrigated areas and from 10 hectares in un-irrigated areas with GPS coordinates authentication.It was given out that 100 farmers are being trained in various aspects from soil collection to soil testing and recommendations generated thereafter will guide the farmers to apply major and minor nutrients in the fields.Joint Director Agriculture, SLUB Bulesh Zutshi, Joint Director of Agriculture (Inputs), K. S. Sambyal, Deputy Director Agriculture (Central) C. M. Sharma, Assistant Botanist, Jammu Jagmohan Bhat and A. H. Salaria, ASCO (I & P), Jammu also attended the programme. The technical session was conducted by Ashwani Kotwal, Assistant Soil Chemist, Daisy Bhan, Assistant Agriculture Chemist, Jammu, Neeraj Rajwal, Research Assistant, Om Singh, Research Assistant, Dr Tarika Sharma, AEA, and Dr Vibhu Kapoor, AEA of Soil Testing Lab, Jammu.Later, the Estates Wing of the Directorate of Agriculture in collaboration with Social Forestry launched the plantation drive in the premises of the Agriculture Complex, wherein 400 medicinal and ornamental plants have been planted in the drive.