Soil is the basis of all food systems, yet it is under unprecedented strain. Across the world, this finite resource faces mounting pressure from climate shocks and human-driven land use changes, leading to erosion, compaction, salinisation and acidification. In banana and plantain systems, the stakes are even higher. Soil health is a critical line of defense against destructive soil-borne diseases, such as Fusarium wilt, a quarantine fungal disease capable of wiping out entire banana plantations.

Faced with these challenges, the World Banana Forum Secretariat of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) joined forces with FAO’s Global Soil Partnership (GSP) to bring the Global Soil Doctors Programme (GSDP) to Colombia’s banana sector. With financial support from the German retailer Kaufland, the pilot initiative set out to empower small-scale producers with practical, science-based tools to manage their soils sustainably.

The programme was implemented nationally by AGROSAVIA, the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation and long-standing GSP partner, in close collaboration with FAO Colombia and leading producer organizations.

Using the programme’s cascade learning approach and its educational material (posters, field exercises, checklists etc.), the pilot began with the virtual training-of-trainers (ToT) sessions focused on soil fertility. Nine trainers took part, representing the Colombian Banana Growers Association (AUGURA), the Association of Banana Growers of Magdalena and La Guajira (ASBAMA), FAO Colombia, the University of La Guajira and EMPREBANCOOP.

Drawing on their field experience, the module was adapted to reflect the specific conditions, practices and constraints of banana and plantain production systems in Magdalena.

In May, these trainers gathered at AGROSAVIA’s Caribia Research Center in Zona Bananera for a final session. They revisited the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils and learned simple, visual techniques to assess soil health directly in farmers’ fields.

With this foundation in place, the trainers stepped into their role as facilitators. They conducted a two-day, in-person training for local small-scale banana growers at AGROSAVIA’s Research Center Caribia, in Zona Bananera. In total, 47 farmers took part in the initial phase. Through hands-on exercises, they explored soil structure, texture, pH, microbial activity, root health and nutrient management in banana plants – connecting scientific concepts with their own observations.

From knowledge to action

The learning did not stop in the classroom or the experimental plot.

Participants returned to their communities and shared what they had learned, reaching more than 235 farmers across Zona Bananera, Ciénaga, Dibulla and Riohacha. After completing this step, they were formally accredited as soil doctors, continuing to promote improved soil management within their networks.

Now the focus is shifting from learning to application.

With guidance from technicians in their associations or cooperatives, farmers are beginning to incorporate plant residues, build organic matter, establish cover crops and set up vermicompost systems. These changes take time, but they are rooted in a clearer understanding of the soil – and that understanding is spreading across the region.

AGROSAVIA has also developed communication and audiovisual materials to support dissemination, while an implementation guide tailored to banana systems in Colombia is being finalized. The goal is now to enable replication and scaling up across the country and beyond.