Africa Soil Science Society

07/03/08

 

 

Welcome to the Africa Soil Science Society (ASSS) Official Web Site !

The Africa Soil Science Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1986 following a meeting of African soil scientists who attended the World Soil congress in Hamburg (Germany). ASSS has successfully organized  four International Conferences : Kampala (Uganda, 1988), Cairo (Egypt, 1990), Ibadan (Nigeria, 1994) and most recently Accra (Ghana, 2007).

With more than 150 participants from all over the world, the fourth conference of the ASSS was deemed a success !

This was crowned with the election of New Executive Members and a Conference Communiqué

 

The Africa Soil Science Society (ASSS) in collaboration with KARI (Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute), the African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT), JIRCAS-Japan and FAO, organized successfully a workshop on the promotion of conservation agriculture in Africa (concept note of the workshop attached). The workshop aims to contribute to the analysis of the present status of CA practices in the various agro-ecological zones of Africa in order to draw the way forward for its promotion. The meeting took place in Kenya (Nanyuki) from 23th to 25th June 2008. For further information please contact: Dr Patrick Gicheru (cdnarl@iconnect.co.ke) or Dr Robert Zougmore (robert.zougmore@messrs.gov.bf).

 

The Institute for Environment and Sustainability of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the European Soil Bureau Network, ISRIC – World Soil Information, FAO (Land and Water Development Division) and the Africa Soil Science Society (ASSS) produced a Soil Atlas of Africa, similar to the Soil Atlas of Europe.

The initiators would very like the Africa Soil Science Society and its members to be involved in the production of the Soil Atlas of Africa, to build on the knowledge and expertise of the African specialists, to ensure that the product will be useful and relevant, and to contribute to capacity building at individual and network levels which will pave the way for enhancing the visibility of African expertise at international level.

Before embarking on the production of the Soil Atlas of Africa, the Land Management and Natural Hazards Unit of the Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES), ISRIC – World Soil Information, the European Soil Bureau Network (ESBN), the African Soil Science Society (ASSS), and FAO conducted a survey amongst potential users of the Atlas, to get insight into the needs and wishes about its content. The survey was conducted between half May and half June, 2007, by sending around a questionnaire using the email networks of ESBN, the ASSS, the alumni of Ghent University, Belgium, the World Reference Base for Soil Resources, and through the Soil Portal webpage of IES. Those interested on the report of this survey can find it at JRC website or ask to ASSS secretariat (robert.zougmore@messrs.gov.bf).

A Kick-off meeting has been held at the premises of JRC-IES, Ispra, Italy, from which the following tasks have been assigned especially to ASSS, therefore, to African Soil scientists :

1. The suggestion of cases studies dealing with soil related issues in Africa: the aim is to insert in the soil Atlas of Africa, selected cases studies that show particular stories/results/management systems of African soils. Interested persons are requested to send a half-page document (with photographs if possible) of their case studies to ASSS Secretary General (email : robert.zougmore@messrs.gov.bf) by end of July 2008. The case studies could be written either in English or in French.

 2. The production/writing-up of chapters that will be supervised by ASSS and FAO. Following the CA workshop, an African soil experts group held successfully a second workshop from 26th to 27th July to review draft chapters. ASSS Executive Bureau encourages all African soil scientists to be fully involved in the achievement of the above tasks.

The 5th ASSS Conference will be held in 2009 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The first announcement will be launched soon

Links

Quick Announcements

  • The Soil Science Society of Burkina Faso (Société de Science du Sol du Burkina Faso) has successfully organised its annual meeting on February 14, 2008 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The Theme of the meeting was “Land use and climate change in Burkina Faso”. The meeting took place under the auspices of the Minister for Environment and his colleague of High education and Research and consisted of specific communications on the subject and of a conference with a panel of key speakers including Policy Makers, Scientists, Developers, and the large public. For further information please contact : SSSBF Secretariat, emails : sssbfaso@yahoo.fr or oelisee@hotmail.com or nacrohb@yahoo.fr

  • La Société de la Science du sol du Burkina Faso (SSSBF) a tenu avec succes sa journée annuelle le 14 Février 2008 à Ouagadougou. Cette journée annuelle a été célébrée sous le thème “Problématique de l’utilisation des terres et changement climatique au Burkina Faso”. Cette journée a été parrainée par le Ministre de l'Environnement et du Cadre de Vie et par son collègue des Enseignements Secondaires, Supérieurs et de la Recherche Scientifique. Des communications ciblées avec des personnes ressources ainsi qu'une conférence avec un Panel d'intervenants ont meublé cette journée pour bien permettre au public de s'imprégner de la problématique du changement climatique et les nouveaux défis par rapport à l'utilisation des terres. Pour de plus amples informations, contacter : Dr Elisée Ouédraogo (oelisee@hotmail.com, tel : 70265175) ou Dr Bismark Nacro (sssbfaso@yahoo.fr ou nacrohb@yahoo.fr, tel : 70247825)

  • In order to promote and expand the world’s long-term soil-research base, a workshop was convened in December 2007 at Duke University and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in North Carolina USA. The workshop formally established a global network of long-term soil-research studies. Workshop participants studied soils and ecosystems in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas. The newly established network of long-term soils research is supported by an advanced-format website that connects more than 150 long-term studies with researchers, teachers, and students from around the world. Workshop participants are enthusiastic about the future of cross-site research that this new networking promises.  Detail information can be found in the report sent by a soil scientist from Nigeria, Dr Ishaku Amapu.

  • GIA (Geo-Sciences initiative in Africa) is seeking proposals, submitted jointly by African geoscientists and colleagues from around the world. Based on the type of the project proposals, we will be seeking funding from a variety of sources, such as, foundations, private and public companies and institutions, UN and nongovernmental organizations. IUGG has availed some seed funding, conditioned on it being used to leverage much larger sums, from external sources. African geoscientists are invited to submit preliminary proposals (see details information).

  • The 24th Annual Conference of the Soil Science Society of East Africa (SSSEA) was held on 26-30th November 2007 in Embu, Kenya. The event drawn scientists from research organizations, universities, non-governmental organizations, farmers’ groups and international soil related organizations operating in the East African region. The theme of the Conference will be: “Improved Livelihoods through Applied Soil Science and Land Management”.

    For further information, contact: SSSEA Secretariat, Kenyan Chapter, P.O. Box 14733-00800, Nairobi, Kenya, Email: kss@iconnect.co.ke or geokironchi@uonbi.ac.ke

  • The 15th WASCO will be held in 2007.

  • The 14th EASCO is planned for 2008.

  • The 5th ASSS Conference will be held in 2009 in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Photo Gallery

Click on "Photo Gallery" above to view the 2007 ASSS conference photos.

Communities & Forums
MountainsThis space is reserved for photos from various ASSS events.

Members are invited to send photographs with appropriate legends from field activities to be posted.
  • You can access communities and forums of interest from here when the site is completed.

This site was last updated 03-Jul-2008