The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) has rolled out a comprehensive training programme for agricultural officers and agri-preneurs on digital soil fertility mapping.
The rollout comes ahead of a county-wide initiative aimed at generating accurate and standardised soil analysis results across Nakuru County.
The digital soil fertility mapping project, spearheaded by KALRO, targets the development of comprehensive digital soil fertility maps and is being implemented under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), with funding from the World Bank.
KALRO’s Senior Researcher on Soil Health, Agricultural Development, and Livestock Sustainability Dr. Amos Adongo, noted that 112 agripreneurs and 53 Ward Agricultural Officers (WAOs) in Nakuru have already undergone training to prepare for the project launch.
Dr. Adongo explained that the trained agripreneurs would act as critical links between farmers and agricultural experts.
They would not only collect soil samples but also advise farmers on suitable crops and inputs based on detailed scientific analysis of their soil conditions.
Speaking during the rollout in Nakuru, Dr. Adongo elaborated that the digital soil maps would contribute to the creation of a national soil spectral library.
“This library will provide scientific guidance on crop selection and input usage tailored to diverse soil conditions, enabling more accurate and uniform soil analysis results across the county.
Farmers will thus be empowered to make informed decisions on crop selection, fertilizer use, and overall soil management,” he said.
Dr. Adongo added that the project aims to analyse 3,575 soil samples collected from 52 wards in Nakuru, while nationwide, it targets over 77,000 soil samples from 45 counties by 2027, excluding Nairobi and Mombasa.
Trained agri-preneurs will be deployed in every ward to collect soil samples and facilitate testing at KALRO laboratories.
The field officers are expected to use modern mobile applications, including ‘Maps.Me’ and ‘KOBO Collect’, to navigate sampling points and input data efficiently.
“This digital mapping project signifies a technological leap forward in addressing soil health challenges that continue to affect the country,” Dr. Adongo said.
The ambitious three-year project will develop comprehensive digital soil fertility maps nationwide.
The timing is crucial, as agricultural researchers have warned of potential drastic declines in food production due to high soil acidity levels, particularly in medium and high rainfall regions, posing a serious threat to national food security.
This challenge is further compounded by farmers’ limited access to soil testing services and low application of lime to neutralise acidic soils.
Dr. Adongo stressed that continuous cultivation without proper nutrient replenishment, population pressure leading to intensive farming, and inappropriate fertiliser application have all significantly contributed to soil degradation across Kenya.
By providing farmers with accurate soil fertility information and tailored recommendations, the initiative is expected to optimise agricultural inputs and improve crop yields.
“This scientific approach to farming could help reverse the trend of declining soil fertility and enhance food production across the country,” Dr. Adongo said.
He further noted that the initiative would incorporate digital technology to ensure efficient information dissemination, bridging the knowledge gap that has historically hindered effective soil management practices.
Farmers will be registered with their mobile phone numbers to receive soil test results and recommendations directly via SMS.
Dr. Adongo explained that limited access to soil testing services has contributed to uninformed farming practices, but the digital soil mapping project will promote sustainable agriculture, improve yields, and strengthen food security across the country.
Recent KALRO studies have exposed alarming trends in soil degradation across Kenya’s agricultural regions.
In 2023, researchers found that soil acidity in medium- and high-rainfall regions had reached 63 percent, significantly affecting farmers’ ability to maintain productive yields.
This deterioration threatens food security and agricultural sustainability.
Dr. Adongo highlighted that soil conditions have become a major obstacle to achieving high yields even in regions with agricultural potential. Many farms have been deprived of essential plant nutrients, leading to declining yields despite favourable climatic conditions.
Several factors have contributed to this soil crisis. Continuous cropping without adequate nutrient replenishment, population pressure causing intensive farming, and improper fertiliser use have all depleted soil fertility.
Limited access to soil testing services has also led to uninformed decisions that worsen soil degradation.
To enhance project efficiency, KALRO plans to install 12 Mid Infra-Red machines at strategic centers nationwide.
These advanced soil testing devices will reduce analysis time from two weeks to between two and four days, representing a substantial improvement over previous near-infrared technology, which often produced inconsistent results due to limited soil database coverage.
By Esther Mwangi
