Project description
Updating soil information for Africa: supporting agriculture and promoting synergies
Information about the condition and spatio-temporal dynamics of African soils is highly fragmented and dated. There is a need for accurate, up-to-date and spatially referenced soil information to support sustainable agriculture in Africa. The EU-funded Soils4Africa project's aim is to provide an open-access soil information system with a set of key indicators and underpinning data, accompanied by a methodology for repeated soil monitoring across the African continent. The soil information system will become part of the knowledge and information system of the Food, Nutrition, Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) roadmap and will be hosted by an African institute. The project will provide important support for innovations in the agricultural sector in Africa and actively connect organisations across Africa and Europe to promote synergies and an open science approach.
Objective
The aim of Soils4Africa is to provide an open-access soil information system with a set of key indicators and underpinning data, accompanied with a methodology for repeated soil monitoring across the African continent. The soil information system will become part of the knowledge and information system of FNSSA and will be hosted by an African institute. Activities are: (i) define use cases and indicators in consultation with stakeholders; (ii) make a functional design of the soil information system; (iii) develop detailed procedures and tools for the field activities based on the LUCAS methodology and collect 20000 soil samples; (iv) develop detailed procedures for laboratory work and analyse the collected soil samples at one reference laboratory located in Africa; and (v) develop the technical infrastructure for the soil information system and serve the results as open data linked with open EO data. The project addresses the work programme of SC 2 in the following ways. First, it contributes to priority 2 (Fostering functional ecosystems) because the soil information system is a tool to target interventions that improve soil quality and provides insight in the impact of these interventions. Secondly, it contributes to priority 1 (Addressing climate change and resilience on land and sea), as the soil information system will contribute to the assessment of carbon losses from soil and the identification of areas with high potential for soil carbon sequestration. Finally, the soil information system provides a platform for the development of sustainable business models by service companies aiming at the development of sustainable food systems, contributing to priority 3 (Boosting major innovations on land and sea). Soils4Africa is linking with relevant H2020 projects and Copernicus on EO data use. It actively connects organizations across Africa and Europe for synergies and promotes an open science approach.
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Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
6708 PB Wageningen
Netherlands