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Soil survey and sampling was conducted by the team from the Agricultural Land Utilization Centre (ALUPC) within the Department of Agricultural Land Management (DALAM), together with the Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO) and the District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO), in addition farmers who conducted field soil sampling.  This mission commenced in early May of 2018 and was completed at the end of June 2018, surveys were carried out in the Northern provinces of: Phongsaly, Bokeo, Luangnamtha, Xayabouly, Oudomxay, Luangprabang and Houaphanh.

The object of the surveys was to revise and update the existing national soil map to World Soil Classification Systems. Determination of the soil samples number and location was carried out based on topographic maps or other maps, used in conjunction with land use maps, in particular for the agricultural land of those regions. The total number of soil profiles was 46 and there were 177 soil samples. All soil profiles were noted, including the name of the soil profile, soil depth, date, land use type and a complete soil description. Finally, recording the coordinates with GPS tracking, taking of photos of the soil profiles and documenting of land use situation took place.

All soil samples had been analysed at the laboratory of DALaM. The soil analysis had started in July 2018 and was finalized in September 2018. They are based on the international standards of analysis for both physical and chemical properties including pH (H₂O, KCl), exchangeable aluminum (Al⁺⁺⁺), hydrololytic acidity (Hh), nitrogen (%N), available phosphorus (P₂O₅), available potassium (K₂O), organic matter (%OM), soil particle sizes (percent of sand, silt and clay), base saturation (BS), exchangeable cations (Ca2+ Mg2+ K+ Na+), CEC-T, and CEC-Clay.