Soil and Land Management Unit is responsible for providing technical support services related to soil and plant sample testing and giving appropriate recommendations and necessary services related to soil and land management. Over the year, we are involved in soil sampling in farmers’ field and also on station for research purposes. The unit also carries out activities to promote organic farming in the region. Promotion of green manure, composting, vermicomposting, use of organic residue for mulching purpose, bio char, azolla, integrated nutrient management using trench in fruit crops and use of Effective Microorganisms solution were promoted in the region. The EM mother plant with capacity of 2000 liters was established at the Centre. Our Centre has now got the capacity to produce bio char and around 1000 kilograms were produced using rice husks.

The unit also promotes and carries out various SLM activities in the region in collaboration with Dzongkhags and National Soil Services Centre to combat land degradation. We maintain a Napier multiplication block which is the source of Napier cuttings used in SLM activities. In order to have concrete data on land degradation in the region a soil erosion measuring plot is maintained at ARDSC Menchuna. It will help us in building concrete national database regarding soil loss.