Abstract

The complexity of soil variability, the purpose and use of soil survey information, soil classification and mapping at different scales are discussed. The need for a simplified National Soil Classification System based soil mapping for farm level land use planning at village / watershed scale is illustrated and reiterated. The paradigm shift from Soil Mapping to Land resource mapping at village level by detailed soil survey and socio-economic survey is emphasised for embarking upon a National Mission Mode Project, which will help in the development of Soil productivity indices and Rating, Land Capability Classification system and a National Portal on soils of India making Agro-Technology transfer both seed centric and soil driven.

Keywords: Detailed soil survey and farm level land use planning, soil classification, soil productivity indices and land capability classification.