CABI Blog

On April 17 and 18 2024, CABI, ISRIC – World Soil Information, the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held a two-day soil information system roadmap development workshop at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this work is part of the CABI-led SIS Review project.

The workshop brought together policymakers, soil information producers and data users. During the workshop, the participants discussed and provided suggestions for improving a framework, developed by CABI and ISRIC, for Soil Information Systems (SIS). Dr Mariah Coley, a CABI Associate, and Thaïsa van der Woude, a project manager at ISRIC, gave presentations of the framework.  

On both days of the workshop, breakout sessions took place between the presentations. The workshop moderators facilitated discussions with the participants to validate existing information gathered by ZARI, ISRIC, SoilFER/FAO and CABI, as well as to examine assumptions and fill information gaps. The insights from participants will inform the development of a roadmap for designing and implementing a SIS in Zambia.

At the event, CABI interviewed key stakeholders to gauge their views on the key takeaways from the workshop and what the next steps to establishing a SIS in Zambia will be. A video of the interviews is available below.

Interviewees

Dr Ndashe Kapulu, ZARI

Zuba Mwanza, FAO

Prof Lydia Chabala, University of Zambia

Percy Chinyama, Smart Zambia Institute

Dr Lydiah Gatere, CABI

Further reading 

CABI-led review of Soil Information Systems highlighted at Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit 

Soil Information Systems Review: a process toward strengthening national soil information systems 

Development options for a Soil Information Workflow and System