This project aims at supporting the collection, harmonization and effective management of soil information in the countries taking part in the AFACI. The activities are directed at building national capacities in order to support countries in the development of national Soil Information Systems (SIS). The national SIS will provide a data-driven knowledge base for effective decision-making, scaling up sustainable soil management, as well as for national reporting to the United Nations conventions on desertification and climate change. 

The project covers all stages of developing a national SIS:

• rescue of soil profile data and soil maps; 
• harmonization of soil maps in the framework of the Soil Atlas of Asia;
• preparation of national soil profile databases, soil property maps and supplementary data layers;
• establishment of web-based spatial data infrastructure and an online learning platform.

A cornerstone of the implementation of the AFACI is the capacity-building program aimed at enabling national experts to efficiently manage soil data through soil information systems and to deliver nationally and internationally required products. Through the harmonization of soil data and maps, the project fosters regional and international collaboration, promoting soil data sharing and scientific exchange. Eventually, it will contribute to the GSP’s Global Soil Information System (GloSIS) which will bring the data shared through national information systems to the global scale.

The training aimed at supporting the collection, harmonization, and effective management of soil information in the AFACI member countries. Based on the training, national soil profile databases and gridded maps of soil properties and threats can be produced. In total, 84 participants from 12 countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam) completed the training. 

As the main outcome of this training, the participating countries are expected to apply state-of-the-art digital soil mapping techniques to produce national gridded soil property maps.  This training represents the first of a series of sessions aimed at establishing national Soil Information Systems (SIS).

TEACHING MODULES

The TEACHING MODULES of the training covered the following topics:

1. Introduction to Spatial Data and Digital Soil Mapping

2. Essentials of R and QGIS

3. Data preparation

1. Soil profile data

2. Covariates

4. Regression Kriging

1. Linear modelling

2. Kriging residuals

5. Random Forest

6. Uncertainty and Validation

On day 4, hands-on practical exercises on digital soil mapping in R were carried out in small break-out rooms. Participants were encouraged to apply their knowledge using their own data, if available, or practice with an existing dataset to perform all steps that are necessary to produce a digital soil map.

SOFTWARE

• R Version 4.1.2

• RStudio Version 1.4.1717

PRESENTATIONS

1. Opening, Dr. Park Young Joon (AFACI)

2. Introduction to Spatial Data and Digital Soil Mapping (Isabel Luotto, GSP) - Module 1

3. Essentials in R (and QGIS) (Isabel Luotto, GSP) - Module 2

4. Data preparation - Soil profiles (Yi Peng, GSP) - Module 3a

5. Data preparation - Covariates (Yi Peng, GSP) - Module 3b

6. Regression kriging - Linear modelling (Isabel Luotto, GSP) - Module 4a

7. Regression kriging - Kriging residuals (Isabel Luotto, GSP) - Module 4b

8. Random forest (Yi Peng, GSP) - Module 5

9. Uncertainty and validation (Yi Peng, GSP) - Module 6

10. Introduction to Global map of salt-affected soils (GSASmap) (Christian Omuto, GSP)

11. Progress deliverables (Yusuf Yigini, GSP)

12. Introduction to Global map of soil organic carbon sequestration potential (Isabel Luotto, GSP)

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

1. GSOCmap technical guidelines

2. Soil organic carbon mapping Cookbook, 2nd edition

RESOURCES

• AFACI project
• Capacity development
• Technical specifications and country guidelines for Global Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Potential Map (GSOCseq)
• Soil data and information
• Global Soil Partnership
• Soils portal

Details of the event | Training programme/Agenda | Recordings (soon available) | Photogallery | GSOCseq map