Kenya Launches National Soil Testing Drive as 63% of Arable Land Faces Soil Acidity
Kenya has launched a new national drive to improve soil health and help farmers make more informed decisions about fertiliser and other agricultural inputs, with the government highlighting the widespread problem of soil acidity across the country’s arable land.
Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, launched the initiative, known as SoilFER, on September 29, 2026. The programme is focused on strengthening soil information, testing and mapping so that agricultural inputs can be better matched to the conditions of individual farms.
The launch took place alongside activities involving the Kenya Soil Partnership, the National Soil Laboratory Network (NASOLAN) and the national rollout of the Global Soil Doctors Programme. KALRO describes SoilFER as the Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems project, supported by the U.S. Department of State and the Government of Japan.
Why soil testing matters to Kenyan farmers
The government’s renewed focus comes against a long-standing soil fertility challenge. Approximately 63% of Kenya’s arable land is affected by soil acidity, a figure that has been documented in Kenyan soil research and government agricultural publications. Acidic soils can reduce the availability of important nutrients and interfere with nutrient uptake by crops.
This means that applying fertiliser without understanding the condition of the soil can produce disappointing results. A farmer may invest in inputs but still obtain poor crop performance when soil pH, nutrient deficiencies, organic matter and other soil constraints are not addressed.
Soil acidity is also not uniform across the country. The severity of the problem varies with soil type, climate, rainfall, land-use history and management practices. This makes blanket fertiliser recommendations less useful than approaches based on actual soil conditions.
Government wants fertiliser recommendations to match the land
During the launch, CS Kagwe urged farmers to test their soils before planting and to purchase inputs according to what their land requires.
The message is particularly relevant as Kenya continues to support farmers through subsidised agricultural inputs. The principle behind soil testing is straightforward: fertiliser should address an identified crop and soil requirement rather than being applied simply because it is commonly used in a particular region.
Kenya’s Soil Acidity and Liming Handbook has previously identified soil testing, appropriate fertiliser use, organic amendments and liming among the approaches that can be used to manage acidic soils.
For farmers establishing orchards, horticultural crops or tree-growing projects, this is equally important. Soil conditions influence nutrient availability, root development and establishment, meaning that soil assessment can be useful before committing significant resources to long-lived crops or planting projects.
Soil mapping could provide better information for agriculture
SoilFER is intended to strengthen Kenya’s soil information base through mapping and analysis. Recent work under the programme has involved nationwide soil sampling, with KALRO reporting that teams covered 45 counties between December 2025 and July 2026, collecting thousands of geo-referenced soil samples for laboratory analysis and development of national digital soil maps.
Better soil data can support more targeted agricultural recommendations, land suitability assessment, soil fertility management and long-term planning. For farmers, the practical value will ultimately depend on how effectively this information reaches farms and is translated into clear recommendations that can be acted upon.
Farmers should treat soil as a productive asset
The launch also carried a broader message about changing how farmers view their soil.
Instead of treating soil simply as a medium in which crops grow, farmers need to consider its chemical, physical and biological condition when making production decisions. Soil fertility can change over time, particularly under continuous cultivation, nutrient removal, erosion and poorly balanced input use.
This does not mean that every farm requires the same soil-management programme. Crop choice, soil type, pH, nutrient status, organic matter, rainfall, irrigation and the farmer’s production objectives all influence the appropriate management approach.
For farmers, one of the most practical lessons from the new national soil-health drive is therefore simple: test first, then decide what the soil and crop actually need.
The government has also called for KALRO to be allowed to recruit additional researchers so that the institution can make full use of new research equipment expected to arrive. CS Kagwe said investment in equipment needs to be matched by sufficient technical expertise to turn research capacity into practical solutions for farmers.
As Kenya continues to pursue higher agricultural productivity, better soil information could become an increasingly important part of how farmers select fertilisers, manage soil fertility and plan their farms. The success of the initiative will ultimately depend not only on generating soil data, but also on making that information accessible and useful at farm level.
