In just two years, SoilFER has evolved from a project into the foundation of a global programme dedicated to harmonized soil information systems and national capacities for sustainable soil fertility management. translating data and science into national policy and field-level impact.

Building blocks of the SoilFER Programme

Two complementary projects form the pillars of SoilFER Programme, tailored to regional and country specific context and needs:

• Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa (SoilFER), funded by the US Department of State, and implemented in Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya and Zambia. It focuses on three core outputs: 1) Building National Soil Information Systems (NSIS); 2) Developing Decision Support Systems (DSS); and 3) Promoting Sustainable Soil Management (SSM) using remote applications and data-based DSS.
•  SoilFER-VACS Framework - Enhancing Integrated Soil-Crop Management for Sustainable Food Systems in Africa, funded by the Government of Japan, under the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) framework, and implemented in Mozambique and Tunisia. It focuses on four core outputs: 1) Establishment of National Soil Information Systems; 2) Development of a Crop Suitability Assessment Framework; 3) Integrate Soil-Crop Management Platforms; and 4) Microscale Crop Advisory Interface, Decision Support Systems and Strengthening Farmer Extension Services.

Together, these efforts contribute directly to FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-31and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promoting better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Strengthening soil governance and data systems

At the institutional level, SoilFER has facilitated the establishment of a collaborative framework for soil governance. National Soil Partnerships (NSPs) have been formally established in Guatemala and Honduras, with Zambia planned for November 2025 and preparatory work underway in Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique.

In parallel, four National Soil Laboratory Networks have been established under the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN), one of the technical networks of the FAO Global Soil Partnership (GSP). These  national soil laboratory networks GHASOLAN in Ghana, GUASOLAN in Guatemala, HONSOLAN in Honduras and ZAZOLAN in Zambia are bringing together more than 50 laboratories. These partnerships and networks foster inclusive coordination among ministries, research institutions and soil laboratories, promoting joint action towards sustainable soil management and improved decision-making at the national level.

The foundation for establishing the National Soil Information Systems (NSIS) is also well underway. Legacy data repositories have been completed in Guatemala, Honduras and Zambia, consolidating historical soil maps and analytical records for integration into the upcoming NSIS platforms. In total, 34,000 soil samples will be collected and analyzed across the US-funded SoilFER project, and 7,000 soil samples under the Japan-funded project. To date, sampling campaigns have commenced in three countries: Guatemala, Honduras, and Zambia, with approximately a total of 4,000 samples collected.

Building national institutional capacities

To support high-quality soil analysis, laboratory baseline assessments were conducted in all seven countries to evaluate technical capacities, infrastructure conditions and readiness to provide soil analyses. Those led to the selection of the National Reference Laboratories (NRL) in each country, prioritizing public institutions with proven analytical experience and capacity to adopt harmonized methodologies, which eventually enables NRL to produce high-quality analytical results.

Capacity development is a central component of the programme and is being implemented to strengthen national laboratory capacities. GLOSOLAN has been instrumental in supporting the identification of experts to deliver training sessions in Guatemala, Honduras and Zambia and 142 laboratory technicians have been trained in good laboratory practices, quality control procedures and wet chemistry analysis. More training sessions on wet and dry chemistry are planned for 2026 focusing on 14 standardized methods to analyze all collected samples by both wet and dry chemistry.

Geospatial platform and digital innovation

Complementing the field survey campaigns and laboratory efforts, the SoilFER Geospatial Platform was launched in December 2024 at the UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This open-access platform, SoilFER App for Crop Suitability, which has just been published and became publicly accessible through this link: https://data.apps.fao.org/soilfer/?lang=en, offers comprehensive geographic information on the suitability of opportunity crops identified by VACS. The integration of soil properties and crop requirements data will support farmers, policymakers and scientists worldwide for informed decision-making.

Furthermore, National Soil Information Systems (NSIS) will align with FAO’s Global Soil Information System (GloSIS), ensuring compliance with FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) data principles. These efforts are complemented by the creation of an online training platform for digital soil mapping and modeling, designed for regional applications and capacity development. With support of SoilFER, the joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear techniques in food and agriculture, is providing technical expertise for the installation and training of Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensors (CRNS), enabling real-time soil-moisture monitoring.

From science to farmers

At the field and community level, SoilFER has already engaged 900 participants from over 40 institutions, fostering national ownership. The next phase, farmers will begin benefiting from fertilizer recommendations through the FerSIS App, a mobile application providing site-specific guidance based on the “4R” principles, the right source at the right rate, right time and right place.

To ensure accuracy and reliability, global guidelines for establishing fertilizer field trials will be developed, with implementation tailored for each country with field trials scheduled to begin between late 2025 and early 2026. Complementing this work, fertilizer regulatory frameworks have been assessed in Guatemala and Honduras to ensure alignment of policies.

Meanwhile, preparatory activities are underway for the large-scale adoption of SSM practices across countries. This is being achieved through the FAO Global Soil Doctors Programme whose methodologies and training materials have already been applied in 27 countries, reaching over 15 000 farmers.  By late 2025, the combination of the GSDP with new digital tools such as the FerSIS App will inform and guide field-level advisory services for sustainable soil management and fertilization practices. By 2027, harmonized soil analyses will feed into the National Soil Information Systems, the Decision Support Systems and the FerSIS App, providing farmers with localized fertilizer and soil-health recommendations.

Through these integrated tools, SoilFER is turning science into action, helping countries strengthen sustainable soil management and build resilient agrifood systems.