Soil Atlas of Africa

A 2010 Calendar on Soils of Africa has been produced by JRC in collaboration with ASSS, FAO and ISRIC in preparation of the future Soil Atlas of Africa. Feel free to download this Calendar. For more detail information, please contact Dr Martin Yemefack (myemefack@yahoo.fr or yemefack@itc.nl) or Dr Robert Zougmore (rb_zougmore@hotmail.com).

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) intend to produce 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 (rb_zougmore@hotmail.com).

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 : rb_zougmore@hotmail.com). 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. Potential contributors for these chapters are requested to express their intention by communicating to ASSS Secretariat (email : rb_zougmore@hotmail.com) the selected subject and the full contact of the author (s) (Names, Institution, email, Telephone, etc.). ASSS Executive Bureau encourages all African soil scientists to be fully involved in the achievement of the above tasks.