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Project Overview

So, what’s the problem

Soil degradation threatens agricultural productivity, biodiversity, water regulation and livelihoods across Africa. Climate change and unsustainable land management add to the pressures on soils, with consequences for food security and rural communities. Women and young people can be particularly affected by these pressures. 
 
Reliable soil information is essential for understanding where problems occur, tracking changes and deciding which actions are needed. Yet soil data is often scattered across institutions, difficult to access or incomplete. Differences in data standards, policies, technical capacity and permissions can also make it difficult to combine and share information. 
 
National institutions and decision-makers need a clearer picture of soil health and practical ways to use evidence. A coordinated continental approach can help connect existing knowledge, address gaps and support countries to make informed decisions on soil and land management. 

What is this project doing?

The project aims to establish the African Union Soil Observatory as a continental resource for monitoring soil health and supporting sustainable land management. It will develop an African Soil Data Centre and a soil health dashboard, building on the Soils4Africa soil information system and other initiatives. The observatory is intended to be owned by the African Union Commission and managed by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA). 

Partners will consolidate soil information, address data gaps, strengthen national capacity and support national soil health strategies. Stakeholders are helping shape the observatory so that its services respond to practical needs. 

CABI leads on stocktaking and the enabling environment. This assesses the conditions needed for the observatory to succeed, contributes to the review of data policy and leads development of the idealised system design and data strategy. This work addresses governance, data sharing, access and long-term sustainability, guided by the FAIR principles: findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable. 

CABI also plays an important role on stakeholder engagement and communication, working with FARA and consortium partners on dissemination, exploitation and communication activities. Its contribution links stakeholder insights with system development and supports communication, engagement and uptake of project knowledge. CABI also contributes to project data management planning.