OVERVIEW
We have carried out many small holder/outgrower soil fertility mapping surveys for national and local governments, leading agricultural research & development organizations and commercial out-grower operations.

The information is used to develop area and crop specific soil and fertilizer management programs, which can be used by policy makers, input suppliers and key stakeholders to guide input distribution acrossAustralia.

Many of the Australia regional soils have been degraded and depleted of essential plant nutrients, which is limiting crop yields and resulting in a lack of proper nutrition for local populations. To correct this situation and promote sustainable crop production, a sustainable soil fertility program is required in these growing areas. Farming practices have been in place for a long time and need to be re-evaluated. Changes in soil nutrients levels, soil reaction, neglect of good agricultural practices and expansion of cropping into new areas call for better soil fertility management practices. A soil fertility and fertilizer management program, tailored to specific crops and local administrative areas, will enable farmers to achieve better yields and improved crop quality.

Plant nutrition input choices at the smallholder level are often limited as they are unable to access soil testing (where our Soil & Crop Dr.(SCD) services cannot reach) and therefore cannot make informed decisions on what inputs to purchase and how much to apply. This contributes to depleting soil health as the wrong inputs are often applied. Farm level soil testing by farmers, as offered through our Soil Doctor services, is clearly the most desirable option, but where this is not available, soil fertility mapping provides excellent baseline information.

The aim of these Soil Fertility Surveys is ultimately to give the smallholder farmer access to the correct soil and plant nutrition inputs and apply them at the correct rate. The surveys also prescribe the application of soil correction products (such as lime in acid soils) that will over time balance the soil nutrients and increase soil fertility. With increased soil health, the incidence of crop diseases and pests will decrease and smallholders can reduce the application of expensive agrochemicals and fertilizers.

Geo-referenced sampling locations, all laboratory soil analysis data and final soil and fertilizer management recommendations will be made available in a GIS format, which can be accessed by project stakeholders through a web enabled mapping platform. These soil mapping surveys provide powerful geo-referenced baseline information on soil fertility and enable governments and stakeholders to make informed strategies and critical decisions on their agricultural sectors.