AGRICULTURAL NEWS - South Africa is finally embarking on a long-overdue initiative: mapping the incredible biodiversity in Africa's soils.
It will document the microbial life hidden in the ground in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the data it derives could help solve the continent's crisis of hunger and food insecurity, and give birth to a new industry.
In agriculture, soil microbes interact with plants to help crops fight off pests and disease and to adapt to climate stressors such as extreme heat and water scarcity. Already, in developed countries, microbial-based products for agriculture are a $2.3 billion market and growing.
Developing research capacity in soil science
But similar efforts in Africa are in their infancy. That’s why the success of this new initiative, based at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, and financed by USAID, is crucial.
In addition to South Africa, it will involve Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Ethiopia, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Kenya. In highlighting the importance of Africa’s soil biodiversity, it sets the stage for African countries to develop their own research capacity in soil science.
The initiative will start simply. Soil samples packed into 1,000 zip lock bags, collected from ten African countries and a wide range of ecosystems will be delivered to the university center.
There, scientists and technicians will scrutinise the DNA of bacteria, looking for new microbial species and their unique abilities to influence soil and crop health, plant growth, and resilience in a changing climate. With billions of bacteria teaming in each zip lock bag, the search should be fruitful - and not a moment too soon.
