ASApedia/Mapeo digital de las propiedades funcionales del suelo/en
Digital mapping is a representation of the spatial distribution of soil and its functional properties. It is based on geospatial data on climate, topography and soil; it also considers important the quantitative information (data taken in the field and laboratory analysis) resulting from soil analysis, such as organic matter, soil acidity (pH) and soil nutrients (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, among others), among other physical characteristics. [ 1 ]
Digital soil mapping is a methodology that provides direct and larger-scale information, in which producers, extension workers or leaders are needed to select more productive and efficient options, identify critical locations or analyze climatic and environmental risks. [ 2 ]
Fundamentals of Digital Soil Mapping
Below are some important fundamentals of MDS: [ 3 ]
- It is based on the five factors for soil formation (climate, biological activity, topography, parent material and time) and links these factors with the functional parameters of the soil in continuous relationships across the landscape.
- The resulting maps are obtained directly from field observations (samples), historical information, methodologies, statistics and expert knowledge.
- It has potential for mapping at different scales (landscape, local scale, farm level).
- The maps are updated using intelligent soil sampling, which minimizes the number of samples taken, thereby covering the variability of soil properties and simultaneously reducing sampling costs.
Practice Description
Using georeferenced data from soil chemical analyses, digital soil mapping uses geospatial analysis tools and technologies to generate detailed digital maps depicting the soil characteristics of a given geographic area. [ 4 ] The digitized information can be made available on various spatial platforms, such as geoportals, or through mobile applications; this allows users to connect to understand the chemical and physical properties of soils. These functional properties can be used to make decisions about their use on farms in the areas surrounding the territories where the information was generated.
Importance and benefits of digital soil mapping
The spatial information generated on soils helps us better understand their conditions at three different levels: farm, site, and landscape; and allows us to integrate management plans for soil restoration. In this way, we can identify specific sites where specific interventions are needed to restore soil conditions and thus improve food security, increase farmers' economic benefits, and promote proper use and management of this resource. [ 5 ]
There are many benefits derived from using this tool, which are described below:
- The SDM is the basis for applying the principles and recommendations of the 4Rs. The 4Rs are based on knowledge of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils.
- It provides us with information to make efficient use of nutrients.
- It is the basis for developing nutritional plans.
- It helps us analyze the soil's nutrient reserves or banks in our territories and make decisions about how to use them. For example, when fertilizer prices are high, we can take advantage of existing reserves in the soil. [ 6 ]
- Make decisions about liming and nutrient amendments to soils.
- It enables technical staff, extension workers, and researchers to make field-level decisions regarding soil fertility. It is also important to promote knowledge-based agriculture.
- It helps us identify specific sites (critical zones) where targeted interventions are needed to restore soil conditions, thereby improving food security, increasing farmers' economic benefits, and promoting proper use and management of this resource.
- They support the creation of public policies aimed at establishing land uses that consider, among others, incentives for productive activities, an early warning to identify impacts from extreme events, and soil restoration and conservation. [ 7 ]
In general, digital mapping of soil functional properties is oriented towards two main tasks: [ 8 ]
- Provide relevant information to technical teams and decision makers at different levels (farm – national), and;
- Promote knowledge-based agriculture.
Using the tool
The use of the digital soil mapping tool by technicians and producers is based on consultations with digitalized information available on various spatial platforms, as well as information generated by various Catholic Relief Services projects in Central America.
Consultation processes provide up-to-date information on soils and their functional properties in different areas of the country. By obtaining specific data of interest, we can, for example, determine the current state of soil acidity, the abundance levels of different nutrients, soil texture, and other information that can guide decision-making, for use on plots in areas with digital soil mapping.
Results and impacts of its implementation
The knowledge generated by the MDS helps technical teams and producers in their decision-making, as its information provides us with insight into the status of different soil variables in the areas, which is the basis for developing fertilization plans, implementing amendments, and managing crops. Its information helps us better address soil degradation processes to improve crop yields and make more efficient use of fertilizers, as it forms the basis for applying the 4R principles.
The implementation of MDS contributes to the integration of other practices to improve family food production, raise incomes, and reduce production costs by using fertilizers according to crop needs and soil availability.
In the department of Chalatenango, El Salvador, the municipal government of Chalatenango Sur invested $277,500.00 in the purchase of fertilizers based on recommendations generated by digital soil mapping, benefiting a total of 10,000 agricultural producers. [ 9 ] Similarly, the Raíces Chalatenango-CRS project invested $105,406.62 in the purchase of fertilizers, benefiting 1,380 basic grain producers. [ 10 ] In this way, fertilizer purchases were made based on the current state of the soils in the territories.
For users, using the MDS is free; all that's required is a smartphone with internet access to access specialized sites and view information of interest.
Advances in the development of digital soil mapping in Central America
In Central America, the capacities of institutions in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador have been strengthened to generate, use, and manage this type of information with the goal of bringing it to different user levels to improve decision-making.
In order to use this tool, you can consult sites that have digitalized information on the variables provided by soil analyses, such as the Digital Soil Mapping Geoportal developed by CENTA, [ 11 ] in El Salvador. Likewise, in Nicaragua the platform developed by the National Agrarian University (UNA) is available, [ 12 ] while in Honduras and Guatemala it is in the process of development.
Bibliographic references
- ↑ "Digital Soil Mapping," CENTA. Government of El Salvador. https://www.centa.gob.sv/mapa-digital-de-suelos/
- ↑ Vásquez, Fernando. "Digital Soil Mapping: Geospatial Monitoring of the Functional Properties of This Resource." Water and Soil for Agriculture. April 15, 2022. https://asa.crs.org/2022/04/digital-soil-mapping/
- ↑ Water and Soil for Agriculture. Introduction to Digital Soil Mapping. n.d. . https://asa.crs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Mapeo-digital.pdf
- ↑ Vásquez, Fernando. "Digital soil mapping platform launched in El Salvador." Water and Soil for Agriculture. July 7, 2021. https://asa.crs.org/2021/07/digital-soil-mapping-platform/
- ↑ Ibid (2).
- ↑ Ibid (2).
- ↑ Ibid (2).
- ↑ Ibid (3).
- ↑ La Montañona Commonwealth. Department of Chalatenango, El Salvador (2023).
- ↑ CRS. 2024. Agriculture Component Report 2021-2023. Restorative Agriculture Project in Communities for Economic Sustainability (Raíces-RRD) . Chalatenango.
- ↑ Ibid (1).
- ↑ "Digital Soil Mapping in Nicaragua." National Agrarian University. https://mapeo-digital-de-suelos-nicaragua-unanic.hub.arcgis.com/
