AfSIS
Welcome to AfricaSoils.net
The Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) is developing a practical, timely, and cost-effective soil health surveillance service to map soil conditions, set a baseline for monitoring changes, and provide options for improved soil and land management. 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.
Serving end users
We view human and institutional capacity strengthening as the key to building ownership of the project by national institutions and consequently ensuring sustainability of not only AfSIS, but also the science and technology advances behind it. Whereas the capacity building component will relate directly to activities of the project, impacts on policy in government and private institutions on soils monitoring, research, and extension are expected to provide a model for AGRA and its grantees to scale-out to other countries beyond the initial ones directly supported by AfSIS (Tanzania, Mali, Malawi, Nigeria and Kenya).
Project Launch and Workshop Report
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.
Digital Map of Africaʼs Depleted Soils to Offer Insights Critical for Boosting Food Production
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa Award US$18 Million to International Center for Tropical Agriculture
