Project Symbol: TCP/SUD/3601

Sudanese Soil Information System and Digital Soil Mapping

The country had no national soil information system that could describe the status and potential of agricultural soils, as well as individual soil properties that are essential for mapping agricultural areas for investment potential and environmental management in general. This lack of readily available information affected both research and development activities, and policy and strategy-making at national, subnational and local levels. Top medium-term priorities such as crop intensification and high productivity can only be achieved through the sustainable management of land resources, which depends on the availability of soil information. Dealing with increasing levels of land degradation, exacerbated by the expectation of climate change, also required a knowledge of soil resources in order to formulate mitigation plans to ensure better food security in the future. In response to this, the project focused on the recovery and collection of soil legacy data, the development of a national soil database for the storage and harmonization of these data, and capacity development on digital soil mapping.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Contribution to FAO’s Strategic Framework:

Strategic Objective/Organizational Outcome: SO2 – Increase and improve provision of goods and services from agriculture, forestry and fisheries in a sustainable manner. Outcome 202: Stakeholders in member countries strengthen governance – the policies, laws, management frameworks and institutions that are needed to support producers and resource managers – in the transition to sustainable agricultural sector production systems

Regional Initiative/ Priority Area: Sustainable Small-scale Agriculture for Inclusive Development

Country Programming Framework Outcome: Priority Area 3Capacity Development of Natural Resources’ Conservation and Management Institutions, Systems and Mechanisms in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Sudan

Outcome 3.1: Sudan’s natural resource base and bio-diversity enhanced and access of vulnerable populations to land, water, pastures and forests improved through reformed and strengthened NRM, land use planning and land tenure policies and systems

Actual EOD: 01 March 2016

Actual NTE: 28 February 2018         

Total Budget: USD 380, 000