See what we're working on at AfSIS Labs
Updated Africa maps and user-selected subset and download for terrain derivatives now available
Read the newsletter from the AfSIS soil sampling and mapping team (Click corners to turn pages)
Download the ICRAF-ISRIC VNIR Soil Database here
-Base Layers
-Legacy Profile Data
-Predicted Soil Properties
-Farmer field trials underway in Mali, Malawi, and Nigeria
-Soil sampling teams now in Ghana, Mozambique, and Tanzania
Highlights from the most recent Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) reporting period, June-Dec. 2010:
--Signing of the GlobalSoilMap.net consortium agreement by high-level official representatives from each of the participating regional nodes. Most nodes have now begun to either produce first generation map products for large areas, or to at least to identify preferred prediction methods by conducting pilot projects that apply and evaluate alternative mapping methods.
Because knowledge about the condition and trend of African soils is highly fragmented and dated, there is an urgent need for accurate, up-to-date, and spatially referenced soil information to support agriculture in Africa. This coincides with developments in technologies that allow for accurate collection and prediction of soil properties.
Major project activities include:
--Developing norms and standards, with consistent case definitions and evaluation criteria for evaluating soil degradation and recovery processes, as well as soil functional properties (nutrient supplying capacity, carbon density, water holding capacity etc.) that will be consistently applied in Africa and the rest of the world.
The CGIAR Gender & Diversity Program is happy to share with you fellowship and scholarship opportunities in this issue of Funding News (Download PDF file - 9 Pages). We would greatly appreciate your assistance in bringing these funding opportunities to the attention of qualified professionals.
The AfSIS workshop on norms and standards for spatially explicit and evidence based soil management recommendations was arranged in Arusha, Tanzania, between September 23rd and 25th. Participants at the workshop included the AfSIS core team and national partners from project countries. As part of the workshop, field demonstrations were conducted in one of the sentinel landscapes in Kisongo, near Arusha. A selection of photographs from the field demonstrations can be viewed here.
Monday Jan. 12th, 2009
Introductions, welcoming remarks and expected workshop outputs (Sanginga/Sanchez/Jama/BMGF) Overview of AfSIS project objectives (Session chair: Dr. Bashir Jama)
-Objective 1: GlobalSoilMap.net (Hartemink)
-Objective 2: GSM/AfSIS Data Systems (Ahamed)
-Objective 3: Soil health surveillance and mapping (Walsh)
A Globally Integrated Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) Project Launch and Workshop 12-16 January 2009, Nairobi, Kenya
Summary
Fifty-six scientists from 16 countries, Ambassadors and or their representatives, Kenya’s Minister of Planning, National Development and Vision 2030, Donors, high ranking Kenya government officials, development partners, as well as local and international media met at ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya to launch the African Soil Information Service (AfSIS) and conduct its first workshop.
