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Africa Soil Information Community of Practice

Well-organised and accessible soil information is essential for increasing agricultural productivity, promoting sustainable land management, protecting the environment, fostering research and innovation, and ensuring food security and informed decision-making. To support African partners in their efforts to develop soil information, establish and strengthen national, regional, and continental soil information systems, ISRIC established and has been facilitating a Community of Practice (CoP) for Soil Information Providers since 2022.

The CoP provides a platform for professionals and researchers to exchange insights, discuss challenges, and contribute to the collective understanding of soil.

Additionally, the CoP has dedicated sub-communities to enhance collaboration and communication on specific domains of the Soil Information Workflow, which represents the entire life cycle of soil information.

Goals

  1. Knowledge sharing

    Facilitate the exchange of information, research findings, and best practices related to soil science and soil data and information among community members.

  2. Collaboration

    Foster collaboration on information sharing and building skills.

  3. Education

    Provide open access learning materials that are available on ISRIC Resource Lbrary to enhance skills development in the field of soil information systems. The learning materials include articles, methodologies, software, tools for creating digital soil maps and derived products, point databases, soil archives, tutorials, videos and more.

  4. Networking

    Create networking opportunities for members to connect with like-minded individuals, organisations, and experts in the soil science community.

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The CoP provides a good opportunity for networking among soil scientists across Africa, through the sharing of knowledge and experience by its members.

— Samuel Ayodele MeseleCoP ambassador

Membership

Become a member of the CoP! Membership is open to professionals, researchers, and people who create soil data and information products in Africa. Currently, 760 members from 38 countries across Africa (marked in green on the map) have joined this community. New members from all African countries are very welcome to join. To join the CoP, please fill out this registration form.

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Our community currently has 7 CoP ambassadors who play a pivotal role in fostering a sense of connection and engagement within our community, contributing to a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Through their efforts, they inspire others to actively participate, share insights, and contribute to the collective growth of the community. View the complete list of ambassadors here.

Events

The CoP organises monthly online events throughout the year, each led by different sub-communities. These events typically showcase recent scientific publications, project achievements, or newly developed methods presented by at least two members of the CoP. Additionally, the CoP offers short online training sessions every month, with each course focusing on a specific aspect of the soil information workflow.

Register to attend our upcoming events and watch past event recordings here. 

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