AfSIS data products may be used to develop recommendations for national and international policies for improving soil productivity. As these products become available, we anticipate that they can provide information on the prevalence of soil health related problems and recommendations for enhancing soil productivity for improved agricultural production. This information can help target soil management interventions and breeding programs, assess potential use of fertilizers, and organize input markets. Investments in national or regional soil surveillance and soil management information infrastructure also form one important pillar of agricultural and environmental policy.

This unbiased sample of soil (and vegetation) health in African landscapes is providing baseline information on the prevalence of soil health constraints and their associated risk factors. This will form a scientifically rigorous basis for public policy formulation and design of cost-effective land management intervention programmes. Governments and donors also do not currently have a basis for evaluating the impacts of their investment programmes. These arguments apply to many topical issues: food security, ecosystems management, desertification, biodiversity, climate change, land productivity, agricultural production potential, etc.

AfSIS products and findings will be presented in conferences and workshops to inform national and international governmental bodies, the donor community and other decision-makers. The project is investigating impact pathways by reviewing existing policies that have proven to be successful (e.g. voucher systems in Malawi) as well as those that have been less successful, partly to validate the decision framework as well.