Constraint analysis in adoption of soil health card recommendations among farmers in Karimnagar district of Telangana state

The Soil Health Card (SHC) initiative represents a significant agricultural policy intervention by the Government of India to promote evidence-based nutrient management and sustainable soil stewardship. Despite nationwide implementation and distribution of over 270 million cards, the translation of SHC recommendations into actual farming practices remains constrained by multiple barriers. This investigation systematically examined the multidimensional constraints affecting SHC adoption among beneficiary farmers in erstwhile Karimnagar district of Telangana State. Using an ex-post facto research design, data were collected from 120 purposively selected SHC recipient farmers across 24 villages through structured personal interviews. The analytical framework categorized constraints into four dimensions: technical, operational, socio-personal and psychological. Descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean score and Garrett ranking technique were employed for data analysis. Results revealed that technical constraints constituted the primary impediment, with inadequate information on micronutrient deficiencies (Garrett Mean Score 65.82, Rank I) and delayed issuance of cards (GMS 62.45, Rank II) emerging as critical bottlenecks. Operational constraints were dominated by non-availability of recommended micronutrients in local markets (GMS 68.34, Rank I) and prohibitive fertilizer prices (GMS 64.21, Rank II). Among socio-personal factors, difficulty in comprehending and interpreting soil test reports (GMS 63.56, Rank I) significantly hindered utilization. Psychological constraints reflected lack of motivation (GMS 66.78, Rank I) and inadequate educational background limiting understanding (GMS 61.89, Rank II). The study underscores critical implementation gaps in service delivery, extension support systems and input supply chains. Strategic recommendations include institutional strengthening of soil testing laboratories for timely reporting, development of farmer-friendly interpretative aids in vernacular languages, capacity building through pre-seasonal training programs, enhancement of extension follow-up mechanisms, establishment of village-level nutrient banks and convergence with input supply cooperatives to ensure affordable access to recommended fertilizers.