Transform Soil Fertility Management in Ethiopia (TRANSFORM)

For over a decade, ISRIC has been working with partners in Ethiopia to strengthen national soil information systems and support evidence-based land management. Key initiatives include the National Soil Information System (NSIS), which provides a central hub for soil data in Ethiopia, and the Land, Soil and Crop Information Services (LSC-IS) project, which developed data services to support climate-smart agriculture.

The TRANSFORM project builds directly on these efforts. Led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) with ISRIC and Ethiopian partners, the project aims to enhance productivity for 100,000 small-scale farmers and promote sustainable land management across 65,000 hectares. ISRIC contributes its expertise in soil data, mapping, and decision-support systems to strengthen Ethiopia’s capacity for sustainable soil fertility management.

• Support 100,000 small-scale farmers in adopting sustainable soil health practices.

• Restore soil fertility and health across 65,000 hectares of farmland.

• Enhance soil input production and distribution systems.

• Implement inclusive, participatory research for soil health solutions.

• Facilitate the creation of a supportive policy and regulatory environment for soil fertility.

Within TRANSFORM, ISRIC focuses on three main areas:

Through these contributions, ISRIC ensures that Ethiopia’s soil data are better managed, more accessible, and directly linked to tools that guide sustainable fertiliser use and soil fertility practices.

• Enhanced NSIS: Updated data pipelines, metadata standards, geoportal, and dashboards for easier access and sharing of soil data.

• High-resolution soil maps: New digital maps of soil acidity, erosion risks, nutrient levels, and key soil properties, integrating both legacy and newly collected datasets.

• Improved data collection systems: Standardised survey tools (ODK forms), harmonised datasets, and training programs for consistent soil and crop data management.

• Capacity building: Training sessions for the Ministry of Agriculture staff, researchers, and regional soil survey teams on soil data management, mapping workflows, NSIS use, and the use of the DST.

• DST: A fertiliser recommendation tool that integrates mineral and organic options, providing site-specific and sustainable soil fertility advice.

• Integration of ISFM data: Incorporation of integrated soil fertility management practices into national soil databases to support long-term soil health strategies.

Consortium partners include:

- International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

- Wageningen University Environmental Research (WENR)

- ISRIC - World Soil Information

- Environment and Coffee Forest Forum (ECFF)

- SOS Sahel Ethiopia

ISRIC will work closely with all consortium partners, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), and the Department of Agricultural Extension and its regional offices.

The project is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union.