Murang’a: The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), in collaboration with county governments, is working to develop digital soil fertility maps under a project funded by the World Bank. In this project, more than 77,000 soil samples will be collected from 45 counties, excluding Nairobi and Mombasa, with the aim of testing the quality of soils that will inform types of interventions targeting to increase food production.
According to Kenya News Agency, Deputy Director of the KALRO Horticulture Research Institute (HRI), Dr. Daniel Gikaara, stated that the project, dubbed the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), commenced in 2024 and will run till 2027. The project aims to create digital soil nutrient maps in the country based on different soil attributes like pH, which will aid in policy decisions and provide specific recommendations to farmers under different agricultural value chains nationwide.
Dr. Gikaara emphasized the importance of soil testing during the training of agripreneurs recruited to champion the project in Murang’a County at Murang’a University. He highlighted concerns over the overuse of fertilizers and farm chemicals leading to depleted soil nutrients. The project involves recruiting agripreneurs in every ward, assisted by county governments, to collect soil samples and take them for testing at KALRO laboratories. These agripreneurs will also advise farmers on suitable crops and inputs based on analyzed soil samples and created soil maps.
The agripreneurs will employ mobile phone apps to facilitate soil sample collection and area mapping. They will be trained on two applications, Maps.Me and KOBO Collect, for navigating soil sampling points and inputting data on testing sites. Dr. Gikaara noted that the project plans to procure 12 Mid Infra-Red (MIR) machines, strategically located at KALRO Centres nationwide. These machines are expected to significantly reduce the analysis challenge and waiting time for results.
Previously, soil mapping used near-infrared technology, which yielded varying results due to a limited soil database. Approximately 77,969 soil samples will be collected and analyzed to create a national soil spectral library, ensuring uniform result accuracy across the country. With new modern machines, results of soil testing will be available within two to four days, compared to the current two-week waiting time.
Dr. Gikaara also mentioned that digital registration of farmers will be conducted nationwide. Once samples are collected, farmers will receive results directly on their mobile phones via SMS. County Director of Agriculture, Peter Muchiri, supported the project, noting it will lead to increased food production. He highlighted previous tests showing many soils to be acidic and nutrient-deficient, impacting crop yield in Murang’a County, an agriculture-focused region. He emphasized that the project will guide and support farmers on crop types and inputs suitable for different parts of the county.