Researchers at the University of Maryland and Columbia University have developed a new soil-testing kit designed to help smallholder farmers in Third World countries.
The kit contains battery-operated instruments and safe materials for agricultural extension agents to handle in the field. They can test for the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, and potassium, as well as active organic matter. The raw results are sent by cellphone to a central website. Then, calculations are made and recommendations are sent back to the extension agent.
A release from the Soil Science Society of America says the kit, called SoilDoc, was developed by soil scientist Ray Weil, who spent his 2009 sabbatical working with the Millennium Villages Project in some of the poorest areas of Africa. He started carrying common soil-testing items in his backpack, but found he needed more. Back in the U.S., he discovered items used for testing home aquariums that would also work for soil tests. Upon returning to Africa, he adapted them with good results, carrying a larger tool kit.
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A post-doctoral researcher recently trained 16 Tanzanian and Nigerian extension personnel in using the kits. The goal is to train thousands of extension agents, many with little more than a high school education, to diagnose soil fertility problems for thousands of smallholders farming less than five acres.
