SoilFER Programme - Soil mapping for resilient agrifood systems

Honduras

Project's full title	Soil mapping for resilient agrifood systems in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa (SoilFER)
Country	Honduras
Start date	17/05/2023
End date	16/05/2027
Status	on going
Donor	United States of America
Recipient / Target Areas	Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Zambia
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	Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería (SAG) – Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock; DICTA – Dirección de Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria (Directorate of Agricultural Science and Technology); CRS – Catholic Relief Services; CIAT – International Center for Tropical Agriculture; IHCAFE – Instituto Hondureño del Café (Honduran Coffee Institute); 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	Honduras has reported early operational progress, with field sampling initiated and national coordination strengthened to support implementation. Work focuses on consistent field data capture, sample handling, and preparation for laboratory analysis and national data integration. Institutional arrangements support continuity, including coordination structures that align partners on protocols and workflows. 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. Initiation of field sampling activities to support national soil data generation and strengthen operational workflows. Strengthening of field data capture, sample handling and chain-of-custody procedures to ensure consistency and data quality. Delivery and installation of laboratory equipment and strengthening of analytical readiness. Ongoing infrastructure upgrade of the National Reference Soil Laboratory to support enhanced analytical capacity and service delivery. Completion of CRNS laboratory training to strengthen technical capacities and harmonized analytical procedures. Development of legacy soil data repositories and consolidation of historical soil maps and analytical records for integration into 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. Capacity development through training, technical guidance and digital tools.
Contact	Programme coordination: soilfer@fao.org \| FAO Representation in Honduras: FAO-HN@fao.org Pedro Vargas Sarria – National Project Coordinator Marcelo Oyuela Olivera – Technical Specialist in Digital Soil Mapping, Soil Information and Data Ana Lucia Villalobos – Technical Specialist in Soil Laboratories Carlos Galo – Technical Specialist in Soil Management and Fertility Francis (Julissa) Mercado Benitez – Communications focal point Arturo Varela Ocon/Marcos Angelini – FAO Headquarters focal point/Alternate focal point
More on this topic	FAO in Honduras 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.