Soil mapping aims to increase agricultural production in Kenya

Soil Mapping Program for Resilient Agricultural Food Systems (SoilFER). supporting farmers to develop reliable soil information that will inform agricultural decisions such as what fertilizer to use and in what quantities.

So far, more than 3,600 soil samples have been collected and mapped in 45 districts, contributing to a digital soil map designed to provide farmers with location-specific information about their land.

Selected farmers also receive training to diagnose and correct soil degradation – thus earning the title “soil doctor” – who they then teach their peers.

SoilFER was launched through a partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (F.A.O) and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) in Kabete, with financial support from the United States and Japanese Departments of State.

‘Now we know better’

For Agness Munialo, a farmer from Kakamega county in western Kenya, studying soil composition and fertility has changed the way she thinks about farming.

“Farmers will use chemicals excessively, sometimes even using more fertilizer to get more yield. Now we know better,” he said.

Ms Munialo, a trained soil doctor participating in the SoilFER program, said the initiative helps farmers, especially in rural areas, to better understand soil composition, pH levels and fertility.

According to Barrack Okoba, national coordinator of the FAO-Kenya program, making soil information accessible is critical to building resilience in agriculture.

“Part of resilience is ensuring our information systems are available and support farmers to build sustainable agricultural management,” he said.

Through FAO support, KALRO has renovated three laboratories and equipped them with state-of-the-art technology to support the analysis of soil samples collected across the country.

The samples are georeferenced, and the findings are sent directly to the farmer’s mobile phone.

Generation Z in agriculture

This initiative also attracts the interest of the younger generation to explore opportunities in the agricultural sector.

Jackline Kioko, a KALRO intern who participated in the launch, said the information shared has given her a better understanding of how soil testing can inform decision-making on her family’s farm.

“I want to farm more, because now I have the information that you can test your soil to see what nutrients it needs,” he said.

Collaboration and information sharing

Kenya Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe called for stronger collaboration among agricultural agencies to encourage coordinated decision-making, improve information exchange, and ensure that soil health is integrated into the work of all relevant agencies.

“I want to urge Kenyans that before thinking about what to plant or what fertilizer to use, first think about testing the soil,” he said.

The event also marked the launch of the Kenya Soil Partnership, the Kenya Soil Laboratory Network and the national launch of the Global Soil Doctors Programme.

The SoilFER program is currently being implemented in six other countries: Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mozambique, Tunisia and Zambia.