The Modern Soil Testing equipment, worth  USD 120 000 has been provided through the project, Capacity Development on Sustainable Soil Management for Uganda, with funding from the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

Through the provision of laboratory equipment, FAO is supporting  the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, in building the capacity for the National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI) to deliver soil analysis services to farming communities

The assortment of modern equipment includes; Laboratory drying oven for soil Analysis, Ec Electrode for conductivity, a first-grade steel mobile storage cabinet, a temperature-controlled far infrared digestion furnace, a Fully Automatic Kjeldahl Analyzer, High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), pump suction system, chemical fume hood, automatic dispenser, automatic Scrubber, shakers and vortexer (High-volume centrifuge).

The FAO Representative in Uganda, Dr. Mr Antonio Querido, while speaking during the handover ceremony held at the FAO Office in Kampala, said that many Ugandan farmers continue to struggle to achieve good crop yields due to poor soil fertility management and increasing soil fertility decline.

“With this equipment, farmers will have access to soil testing services, allowing them to determine the most suitable inputs needed to improve soil fertility, including the right type and amount of fertilizers, soil amendments, and other inputs,” he said.

He noted that through the soil laboratory equipment, useful soil nutrient status information can be generated for farmers to make informed decisions on their fertilizer recommendations and improve their yields and profitability.

To address this issue, the FAO, with funding from the Government of China implemented a project in collaboration with MAAIF to develop the Country’s capacity for sustainable soil use and management. The project is part of FAO’s efforts during the period 2021-2025 to strengthen the capacity of public and private institutions and communities to sustainably manage natural resources, restore degraded lands and protect vital ecosystems.

The use of soil analysis has proven to be effective in addressing fertilizer recommendations thus increasing crop yields and improving soil fertility in Uganda.

“By increasing farmers' access to soil testing services and providing them with the necessary tools to make informed decisions on their farming practices, FAO is helping to improve soil fertility management and increase crop yields,  profitability and soil health. This, in turn, contributes to the country's economic growth and food security, ensuring a brighter future for Ugandan farmers and the agricultural sector as a whole,” said Querido.

With accurate analysis of soil nutrient content, pH level, and other essential soil properties, farmers can apply the right inputs in the right quantity, thereby reducing production costs and improving their profitability and soil health. This approach also minimizes the use of inputs and the impact of agriculture on the environment. Although soil is a vital resource, few efforts have been made to improve its fertility, promote its health and increase food security.

According to the National State of Environment Report 2018 -19 and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Annual Agricultural Survey 2018, Uganda’s soil fertility is declining at an alarming rate. Soil fertility is low to medium, caused mainly by land degradation, soil erosion and population explosion. Annual fertilizer use is low, in the range 0.23 -1.5 kg/hectare, far below the sub-Saharan African average of 8 kg/hectare in. Only about 24 percent of agricultural households in Uganda use fertilizers. Urgent interventions are thus required to improve soil productivity, avert poverty and ensure food security.

The State Minister for Agriculture, Honourable Fred Bwino said that soils are an important aspect of natural resources that support agriculture production, food security, nutrition, and livelihoods and should therefore be protected for current and future use.

“The level of productivity that farmers experience is directly linked to soil fertility status. I implore NaSARRI to put the equipment to good use to benefit the surrounding communities and the country at large,”  he noted.

Dr Micheal Ugen, Director NaSARRI, said upon receiving the equipment, that the facilities will help the institute to increase the efficiency in soil testing, help farmers in decision-making, and reduce production costs and production-related losses, among others.

“We were working with very old manual equipment. What we have received is modern high-end and computerized. We will now have the capacity to test 32 samples at a time, and instantly generate reports, thereby increasing our efficiency,” said Dr Ugen.

On behalf of the Ambassador of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the First Secretary at the Chinese Embassy in Uganda Mr Wang Chenxu congratulated FAO and the government of Uganda for the successful implementation of the project. He also pledged to continue facilitating cooperation and exchange of information, knowledge and technologies to promote agriculture and reduce food insecurity and malnutrition.

Through the same project, knowledge and information on soil fertility status and fertilizer quality, dissemination of practices and technologies for sustainable soil management and development of courses for EduSOILs platform have been generated and shared with farmers. The project has also strengthened national capacities in Sustainable Soil Management (SSM) in Uganda by improving the accuracy of recommendations on fertilizer use.  The Uganda project aims to develop capacity for sustainable soil management under the framework of the International Code of Conduct for the Sustainable Use and Management of Fertilizers. The project contributes to generating knowledge and information on soil fertility status and fertilizer quality, disseminating practices and technologies for sustainable soil management, and developing training courses. Ultimately, the project also seeks to strengthen national capacities for Sustainable Soil Management through soil testing and improvement in the accuracy of recommendations on fertilizer use, along with technical support from the FAO’s Global Soil Partnership and the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences.