Experts urge investment in data-driven innovation to reverse soil health risk

By , June 9, 2025

Experts are calling for urgent investment in data-driven innovation to safeguard food security as concerns grow over declining soil fertility across Kenya and the wider African region. Parmesh Shah from the World Bank said that without reliable data, efforts to restore soil health will remain ineffective.

“Innovation and data are the only way we are going to solve the soil health problem. Once we have data, innovators will be able to come up with solutions,” he said during the inaugural Data for Soil Health and Scale Summit.

However, he was quick to add that data alone is not enough it must be transformed into actionable intelligence.

The reason is, if we don’t have intelligence and only have raw data, there will be no action.

Farming practices

Speaking at the same event, Evan Girvetz from the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) said that soil degradation, which is fuelled by unsustainable farming practices, erratic climate patterns, and poor land management, continues to threaten agricultural productivity across the continent.

But there is optimism.

Emerging technologies, including AI-powered soil testing, satellite-driven digital mapping, and smart farming tools, are offering site-specific, practical solutions when supported by accurate data.

“We must move from just collecting data to turning it into soil health intelligence. Data allows us to make site-specific recommendations for farmers, optimise fertiliser use, measure soil carbon sequestration, and unlock investment in sustainable agriculture,” Girvetz said.

The call for data and innovation comes at a critical time, as Kenya aims to increase agricultural resilience and reduce reliance on food imports in the face of worsening climate shocks.

Mutahi Kahiga, Nyeri County Governor, said up to 65 per cent of Kenya’s soils are degraded, acidic, or severely nutrient-depleted.  

He warned that unless urgent action is taken to restore soil health, the country risks declining agricultural productivity, increased food insecurity, and long-term environmental degradation.  

Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh (pictured) said the country’s soil quality is worsening every day because many farmers continue to use nitrogen and phosphorus-based fertilisers, despite their soils suffering from other nutrient deficiencies.  

He emphasised that this narrow focus is accelerating soil degradation across Kenya.

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