Food production has to increase to meet the global demand
Global agriculture today is faced by an unseen paradox: Food production has to increase to meet the growing food and biomass demand, which is putting soil fertility levels under so much pressure that it results in soil degradation and productivity loss. This vicious circle is the result of injudicious soil nutrient management.
Our aim: incite farmers to adopt more efficient use of soil nutrients
SoilCares Foundation’s aim is to increase food production by introducing solutions that will incite farmers around the world to adopt more efficient use of soil nutrients. In optimal conditions, for every 1 kg of nutrients, about 50 kg of harvestable biomass can be produced. Sadly, under the current production practices, experiencing losses of 50% of the nutrients we apply on a field is considered acceptable. Imagine that nowadays, a farmer has to apply twice as much nutrients than what his crop actually needs just because of such losses and former unbalanced fertilisation.
Increasing food production with fast, affordable and customized methods for soil analysis
SoilCares Foundation is convinced that increasing food production by reducing nutrient losses is now possible as fast, affordable and customized methods for soil analysis have been made available. Even though, soil fertility is at the start of the value chain of any agricultural commodity and by improving the soil status the entire value chain will improve, of all the agricultural production factors it is the one that receives the least attention. The simple reason is that soil can not be read.
SoilCares makes it possible to easily read and identify the needs of soil
For many farmers all over the world soil is a puzzling black box; to which they apply fertilizers without knowledge of what the soil actually needs. SoilCares made it possible to easily read and identify the needs of soil through near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. SoilCares Foundation was founded to make sure all smallholder farmers, even in the most remote areas, also have access to this reliable and affordable technology that will improve the productive capacities of their soils.
SoilCares Foundation puts the farmer at the centre
SoilCares Foundation has a holistic, entrepreneurial approach, putting the farmer at the centre and the soil at the basis of development by getting involved in projects and demonstrations that relate to an integrated sector development, including access to seeds, fertilisers, connection to the local market, etc.
Empowering farmers to make informed decisions about soil fertility management will increase yields and reduce costs.
Smallholder farmers dwell on their soil to make a living. For every tonne of maize about 20 kg of nitrogen (N) is removed. If these nutrients are unreplenished soil fertility levels will decline. At present soil fertility levels in rural Africa are decreasing at an unpreceded speed of more than 20 kg N/ha/y. SoilCares Foundation believes that at the end it is only the one that works the land can change the vicious circle of soil fertility loss, declining yields and persisting poverty. Therefore, SoilCares Foundation creates an enabling environment of smallholder farmers to improve their performance; for their livelihoods and for the sustainability of the planet.
“I am happy with SoilCares Services, from the support they give to farmers and the way they answer our questions, indeed they Care"
Robert Mutuma Moria / Horticulture farmer, Meru County, Kenya
Our experts that show impact
SoilCares Foundation aims to create lasting impact for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Yet, impact is determined by many factors, both intended and unintended. Therefore, SoilCares Foundation determines the impact of our interventions at farmers level, and beyond.
Surveys to measure the impact of the Scanner on farmers livelihoods Monitoring and evaluation is about being clear about what you do and what you achieve. SoilCares Foundation performs random surveys on the impact of the Scanner on farmers livelihoods and coping strategies. Surveys are performed throughout the growing season, next to group discussions and farm interviews.
News
Director SoilCares Foundation says goodbye, with a smile
Per March 1, 2021 SoilCares Foundation’ director Christy van Beek will take up a new opportunity. Leaving SoilCares Foundation isn’t easy, she says, but she is proud of what has been achieved and looks back at more than 4 exciting years.
Since its launch in 2017 in Kenya, the AgroCares scanner has been used more than 100,000 times for soil analyses. Among farmers that tested their soils with the scanner, many of them repeated soil analyses year after year. We compared results from 9 fields randomly selected in Kenya that were sampled in 2019 (or the year before) and in 2020. This study shows consistent and positive results!
In October 2020, 60 decibels, an independent impact measurement company assessed the impact of the AgroCares' scanner on the livelihoods of farmers in Kenya. What they found is that, even in times of pandemic crisis, informed based decisions had a positive impact of the lives of most of the 260 interviewed farmers.
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