SoilFER Programme - Soil mapping for resilient agrifood systems

Guatemala

Project's full title	Soil mapping for resilient agrifood systems in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa (SoilFER)
Country	Guatemala
Start date	17/05/2023
End date	16/05/2027
Status	on going
Donor	United States of America
Recipient / Target Areas	Guatemala
Project Code	GSP /GLO/1127/USA
Objective / Goal	SoilFER follows an integrated cycle that links soil governance, data generation, laboratory analysis, digital soil information systems and advisory services to support sustainable soil and fertility management and agricultural productivity. Beginning with institutional coordination and field data collection, the programme strengthens laboratory and analytical capacities, develops national soil information systems and translates data into practical tools such as soil maps, crop suitability assessments, fertilizer recommendations and implementation of sustainable soil management practice, contributing to evidence-based decision-making and more efficient use of soil and nutrient resources beyond the programme cycle.
Partners	MAGA – Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food); ANACAFE – Asociación Nacional del Café (National Coffee Association of Guatemala); ANALAD – Laboratorio de Análisis de Suelos, Plantas y Agua; PRSECT – Programa de Investigación Sectorial*; CRS – Catholic Relief Services. Regional collaboration: Central American Integration System (SICA).
Beneficiaries	The programme benefits: National institutions responsible for agriculture, soils, land and natural resource management Soil laboratories and technical agencies involved in soil analysis and data management Extension services and advisory providers Policymakers and planners developing evidence-based agricultural and land-use policies Researchers, universities and technical experts Farmers and producer organizations benefiting from improved soil management recommendations and decision-support tools Capacity development embedded throughout the process helps ensure sustainability beyond the programme cycle.
Activities	Selected activities include: Institutional coordination established and operational arrangements agreed. Sampling design and field planning prepared for operational rollout. Laboratory and analysis readiness activities initiated. Development and enhancement of Soil Information Systems (SIS/NSIS) and digital soil services. Crop suitability and fertilizer recommendation modelling. Second season of field validation and sustainable soil and fertilizer management trials. Capacity development through training, technical guidance and digital tools.
Impact	Guatemala has reported initial sampling progress and institutional strengthening that supports scale up. Work combines early field implementation with coordination mechanisms that improve consistency across partners and prepare for laboratory analysis and national integration. Activities also promote farmer engagement and awareness through the Soil Doctors programme, support targeted educational outreach and knowledge exchange through socio-economic impact assessments initiatives (ESA), and contribute to public understanding of soils through the development of a Soil Museum. Together, these efforts strengthen both the technical and social foundations needed for sustainable soil management and national soil information services. Progress highlights: Establishment of institutional coordination mechanisms and operational arrangements to support national implementation and scale up. Formal launch of the National Soil Partnership in 2025 to strengthen soil governance and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Establishment and engagement of the national soil laboratory network (in the framework of GLOSOLAN) to strengthen laboratory coordination and analytical capacities. Preparation and implementation of field sampling activities to support national soil data generation. Delivery and installation of laboratory equipment and strengthening of analytical readiness. Completion of CRNS laboratory training to enhance technical capacities and harmonized analytical procedures. Development of legacy soil data repositories and the consolidation of historical soil maps and analytical records for integration onto the forthcoming national soil information system platform. Preparation for data management and integration into national Soil Information Systems (SIS/NSIS). Ongoing crop suitability and fertilizer recommendation modelling. Second season of field validation and sustainable soil and fertilizer management trials. Promotion of farmer engagement through the Soil Doctors programme. Implementation of socio-economic assessment (ESA) activities to support targeted outreach, knowledge exchange and understanding of adoption barriers and opportunities. Development of a Soil Museum to strengthen soil literacy, public awareness and engagement on sustainable soil management. Capacity development through training, technical guidance and digital tools.
Contact	Programme coordination: soilfer@fao.org \| FAO Representation in Guatemala: FAO-GT@fao.org Candida Tacam – SoilFER National Project Coordinator Pablovan Ruiz Mazariegos – Technical Specialist in Digital Soil Mapping, Soil Information and Data Jennyfer Paiz Rosales – Technical Specialist in Soil Laboratories Adan Rodas Cifuentes – Technical Specialist in Soil Management and Fertility Gabriela Herrera Castellanos – Communications focal point Pamela Azurdia – Operation support Marcos Angelini/Arturo Varela Ocon – FAO Headquarters focal point/Alternate focal point
More on this topic	FAO in Guatemala Global Soil Partnership
Related publications	Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems (SoilFER) 06/2024 In Central America and sub-Saharan Africa, the Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems (SoilFER) project stands out as a unique framework aimed at unearthing valuable information from soils to guide policymaking and fertilizer recommendations both at national and field scale.