|
Written by
|
|
Tuesday, 24 February 2009 07:41 |
Kenya is involved in what experts term as an ambitious scientific effort to
find solutions for farmers. Scientists have set in motion a futuristic
project to analyze soil samples from remote areas across Sub-Sahara Africa.
The project is aimed at providing solutions to farmers who suffer from
chronically low-yielding crops due to degraded soils.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the country's economy. It is hoped that with
better understanding of soil samples, farmers can then be in a better
position to cultivate crops best suited for their soil, consequently
improving crop yield.
Better crop yields means that more employment opportunities will open up
both directly and indirectly. Many unemployed Kenyans who happen to be the
youth will stand to benefit, from the trickle-down effect of opportunities
thus created. Young people comprise about 60 percent of the country's
population, majority of whom lack jobs.
"This is the first time that that the method is being used and Africa is
pioneering this particular project," says Dr. Peter Okoth, project
information manager for Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute
(TSBF).
The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) the Ministry of Agriculture
and the Ministry of Planning are also involved in the project. The two
ministries have been involved since 2007 and the project was launched on
January 13.
"The aim of the project is to provide quality and precise information on
soils that will guide decisions to reverse soil degradation, enhance
agricultural productivity and provide environmental services," says Dr.
Okoth.
The International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) announced that the
project, which is a detailed digital soil mapping exercise, will be created
for all the 42 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Africa Science News Service reports that this project combines the latest
soil science technology with remote satellite imagery and on-the-ground
efforts to analyze thousands of soil samples from remote areas across the
continent.
The science news media further reports that efforts to improve African soils
have been hampered by a lack of up to date comprehensive knowledge about
soil conditions. Soils in Africa are the most depleted in the world.
According to Dr. Okoth this project is critically important and will provide
useful information to the farmers.
"Farmers will get information upon which to base fertilizer-use
recommendations, land planning and use, what crop to cultivate and where to
cultivate it," says Dr. Okoth. He adds that the information gathered will
also be used by farmers on how to manage crops for better returns on
investment.
The project is only taking off now and not before. Dr. Okoth explains that
this is because new advances in what he calls near infrared and mid-infrared
technologies have just been recently realized.
These technologies are used for scanning and sensing the soils using
special radio magnetic signals to determine its properties. He says that the
signals are used in what he calls satellite remote sensing signals.
"By combining ground sample scans and remote sensing technologies, regions
can now be covered and mapped in a very efficient and precise manner and at
lower costs compared to what used to happen in the past," he observes.
This is the reason why, maintains Dr. Okoth, very few African countries have complete soil maps for their countries. Yet soil mapping has been on the continent since the 1950s and 1960s.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a third of the
population in Sub-Africa is chronically hungry. This translates to 236
million people in this region. This technology is therefore projected to
have profound impact, on the agricultural practices on the continent.
Dr. Wilson Songa, the Agricultural Secretary is quoted by Africa Science
News Service saying that information on soil is critical to identify the
types and amounts of mineral and organic nutrient sources needed to increase
crop yield.
The increasing pressure on agricultural land in the region, due to
population explosion has done well to degrade the soil further. This
soil-mapping project is therefore seen as an important initiative in the
region.
Kamadi Kadenge
Nairobi, Kenya
|
.png)
Follow us on Twitter