News | AgroCares

AgroCares introduces the new Carbon Monitor Solution!

agrocares — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 11:01:36 +0000

In our commitment to delivering comprehensive results for long-term carbon programs to our valued customers and partners, we developed a new Carbon Monitor Solution. It utilizes the power of the scientific and peer-reviewed SoilCASTOR method, developed by NMI-agro Wageningen, AgroCares and Wageningen University.

This method consists of robust global carbon model which incorporates satellite data, existing proprietary soil measurements (n>250,000), and advanced deep learning algorithms. It provides soil stratification that minimizes the number of samples needed for rapid soil scanning. After measurements are complete the approach yields the carbon stocks in metric tons CO₂ equivalent per hectare at a 10*10 meter resolution. This approach aligns to Verra certification requirements and GHG Protocol guidelines.

The SoilCASTOR method forms the core of our new Carbon Monitor Solution, designed to offer a fast, reliable, and cost-effective means of measuring and monitoring soil organic carbon stocks for agricultural farms.

Mobile Application combined with the AgroCares Scanner and Portal

The Carbon Monitor Solution now features a fresh mobile app design, enabling users to swiftly and conveniently view sampling locations, take on-the-spot soil measurements, and seamlessly access the user-friendly AgroCares web portal for activities like carbon project registration, uploading field boundaries, generating sampling locations, and reviewing measurement results along with the total carbon stocks for each project.

New window of opportunities

The Carbon Monitor Solution stands out for its uniqueness. It is among the pioneering cost-effective solutions adhering to among others Verra’s VM0042 methodology on Improved Agricultural Land Management, and it goes beyond solely concentrating on carbon measurement. The AgroCares Scanner Solution, for instance, utilizes the same handheld Scanner to analyse soil, feed, and leaf samples, providing users with additional benefits beyond their engagement in carbon programs.

From intuition-based farming to fact-based farming

"With this new AgroCares solution we strive the optimal balance between scientific robustness and cost-effectiveness. It opens up new opportunities not only for carbon credit projects but also for Scope 3 emission reduction interventions in agricultural supply chains “

Dr. Tessa van der Voort, Soil Carbon Scientist (NMI-agro Wageningen)

How does AgroCares technology work?

AgroCares employs sensor technology that utilizes a global calibration database, wherein the electromagnetic spectra of soil samples from various regions worldwide are stored alongside their chemical properties. The AgroCares Scanner utilizes infrared (NIR) sensor technology to translate the calibration data of the sensor into the chemical characteristics of the soil. This Scanner is compatible with smartphones and associated apps, which are regularly updated and enhanced.

Additionally, AgroCares has developed an in-house global soil database, containing approximately 24,000 unique calibration soil samples measured in the Golden Standard reference laboratory. This extensive database serves the purpose of determining not only carbon content but also various other soil nutrients.

Interested in a demo?

Are you interested in the Carbon Monitor Solution and would like to test it, please do not hesitate; contact us now!

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Use Of Agrocares Soil Scanner In ASDSP II Program Tharaka Nithi County

agrocares.com — Tue, 16 May 2023 11:23:29 +0000

AgroCares has provided handheld Scanners to ASDSP II program as a strategy to address one of the impediments to agricultural commercialization.

One of the key challenges that prevent agricultural commercialization is low productivity along agricultural value chains. The productivity of agricultural value chains is affected by several factors such as limited access to modern technologies, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of access to finance.

The Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme II (ASDSP II) is a 5-year-program funded by the Kenyan government (National and County Governments), the Swedish Government and the European Union (EU). The overall goal of ASDSP II is to contribute to transformation of crop, livestock and fishery production into commercially oriented enterprises that ensure sustainable food and nutrition security. The program aims to address key challenges that impede agricultural commercialization, among them being low productivity along agricultural value chains.

AgroCares has provided handheld Scanners to ASDSP II program as a strategy to address this challenge by maintaining easier access to modern agricultural technologies. The Scanners are handed over by ASDSP II to women groups as a way of having women involved in the agricultural value chains for economic empowerment. The women groups will use the Scanners to test soils for the over 15,000 small holder farmers in the program at a fee.

As AgroCares we believe that addressing these challenges is critical to promoting agricultural commercialization, improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, and promoting food and nutrition security.

Get in touch with our team to learn more about AgroCares and our handheld Scanner via info@agrocares.com

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The Link Between Sustainable Development Goals and Soil Fertility

agrocares — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 22:20:59 +0000

When it comes to soil health, it’s often well-accepted that Sustainable Development Goals and innovative agricultural solutions could directly contribute to greater soil fertility and soil health. And, with climate change becoming ever more prominent, the agricultural industry faces severe backlash from the public to reduce emissions and achieve net-zero emissions.

However, while many are shifting toward Sustainable Development Goals as “yet another restriction” when times are already incredibly tough for farmers, this change could offer significant benefits in terms of farm profitability. Indeed, working towards Sustainable Development Goals could help reduce the need for fertilization and bolster the resilience of farmed soils significantly.

What are the Sustainable Development Goals

Climate change is rapidly becoming an ever-greater threat in our communities, leading to numerous potential complications and dangers. With this risk in mind, the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 accepted seventeen Sustainable Development Goals that would begin making a change for the better in terms of climate change.

Notably, Sustainable Development Goals aim to make a genuine difference in global warming overall. Notably, it is hoped that SDGs will be fully integrated and make a difference by 2030; as such, at this point, with just eight years left on the countdown, it’s certainly time to begin integrating Sustainable Development Goals from an on-farm perspective.

How Sustainable Development Goals Could Support Soil Health and Fertility

One of the most notable features of the SDGs is that they are directly related to soil health. Indeed, as Lal et al. (2021)explained, the SDGs aim to reach the goal of having 75% healthy soils by 2030 – and this could provide numerous potential benefits for on-farm productivity.

The goals that most closely relate to soil health and sustainable development goals include:

Goal 2: Ending Hunger – In order to end hunger, superior food security will prove integral. However, improving soil health for greater productivity is vital since it directly influences around 95% of total food consumption.
Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing – To increase health and wellbeing, increasing soil productivity for greater production of healthy and nutritious foods may be important. Moreover, since the soil determines a crop’s final nutrient level, promoting greater nutrient density in soils may prove valuable.
Goal 13: Climate Action – As we have already outlined, promoting soil health to reduce inputs, minimize nutrient leaching and runoffs, and promote carbon sequestration is vital.
Goal 15: Reducing Desertification of Soils: Unsurprisingly, Goal 15 of the Sustainable Development Goals – to reduce desertification and promote the restoration of degraded soils – is directly related to soil health. Soil health requires good soil structure, moisture, and mineral content; as such, ensuring that agricultural businesses integrate good soil health policies must be promoted extensively to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and minimize our impacts on the environment overall.

The above four goals, in particular, are directly related to the Sustainable Development Goals and overall efforts to reduce agriculture’s impact on the environment and the community while delivering high-quality, nutritious foods for both a local and broad consumer base.

What Constitutes Healthy Soils?

In many cases, modern productionist methodologies focus heavily on the fertilization of soils to achieve greater productivity and growth rates for crops, particularly with nitrogen-based fertilizers. However, there’s often very minimal consideration given to overall soil health, which may influence the sustainability of many modern, conventional farming practices.

Evaluating soil health is something that’s often subjective and depends on the overall goals. However, Liptzin et al. (2022)[1] found a strong correlation between soil organic carbon levels and overall soil health, including biological indicators such as the activity of microbes in the soil.

In addition to microbial activity, natural soil health is also indicated by the overall soil structure. Healthy soils should have a suitably thick layer of topsoil to support not only root structure and root health but also to ensure that runoff and nutrient leaching are reduced [2]. Moreover, unhealthy soils with a poor soil structure may be less effective for storing carbon from the atmosphere[3].

How Sustainable Development Goals Support Soil Health

Sustainable development goals are directly attributed to soil health, most notably soil microbiome and soil degradation.

In terms of soil microbiome and the overall diversity of soil health, Misra et al. (2017)[4] explain that “the diversity of soil microbiome affects the productivity and community dynamics via plant growth promotion, production and modification of phytohormones, and nutrient acquisition.” Moreover, while plants have a direct impact on their specific microbiome, creating healthier soil structures may help enhance crop growth. [5]

Sustainable development goals aim to promote overall soil fertility, and in turn, this can provide substantial benefits for both the climate change movement and farmers directly. The intricate complexities of soil directly influence overall crop production; furthermore, the concept of soil security also contributes to this, outlining the manageable properties of soil health and structure overall.

How Soil Testing Solutions Can Help Support SDGs

While it’s integral to focus on reducing carbon emissions from the agricultural industry, one of the simplest options is to embrace Sustainable Development Goals to contribute to climate change reduction. Nutrient availability and superior soil management will prove crucial for the overall achievement of sustainability goals, and so this may prove critical for individuals to consider.

However, in order for overall climate change targets to be met, the agricultural industry needs to also consider many other factors, such as crop storage and transport, water treatments, biodiversity management, and the like.

With ever-growing pressure to integrate Sustainable Development Goals in the agricultural industry, a growing number of agricultural producers are beginning to consider how these changes could bolster soil health. Indeed, in many cases, soil health can drastically improve thanks to making simple changes to offset the dangers of climate change, which is rapidly becoming more and more common. And, with the price of fertilization going through the roof these days, there’s rarely been a better time to get on board with sustainable development goals and begin making a difference on farms.

Would you like to learn more about AgroCares solutions? Please, contact our team!
info@agrocares.com

References

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0038071722001651
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7116140/
[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880918302548
[4] https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-10-5708-3_14
[5] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoil.2022.821589/full

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AgroCares introduces FeedCares application

agrocares — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:59:09 +0000

Adding value to our Scanner solution, AgroCares continues to innovate with the launch of the FeedCares solution. This smart solution starts with an easy, on-site scanning process of raw materials and silages. By leveraging the power of our on-site feed analysis solution, you can have quality assurance with more analytical parameters.

How does it work?

Essential to the new FeedCares solution is the handheld device, developed by AgroCares, which uses NIR technology to scan samples of feedstuffs on the spot. The handheld Scanner connects to our partner, Trouw Nutrition’s nutritional database, and the result is a detailed report delivered directly to your smartphone. The report shows whether the analysed samples meet optimal quality standards for pigs, poultry, or ruminants.

What do we offer?

With our new FeedCares solution, you will have Dry matter, Moisture, Crude ash, Crude Protein, Crude Fat, Crude Fiber, Starch, Sugar, NDF, ADF, ADL, Amino acids and more nutrient values on the sample analysis report. It will allow you to unlock the real nutritional value of your feed with an easy on-site scanning process. With this, you are assured to provide your animals with a high-quality diet that meets the animals’ nutritional requirements.

In a 10-minute analysis process, you will be able to perform an analysis of your feed without the samples leaving the site. It’s a quick and easy process that can be done anytime, anywhere.

Suitable license to meet your needs

AgroCares is introducing two types of licenses to the market: the FeedCares Standard and FeedCares Professional, so you can select the most suitable solution to meet your analysis requirements. Both licenses are now available on the AgroCares webshop.

Where can you use it?

To make the FeedCare’s solution available to users, AgroCares partnered with our strategic partner Trouw Nutrition, which provides AgroCares access to their global feed database. Being globally available, our customers are guaranteed to be able to use this powerful solution anywhere.

Are you interested in a demo?

Are you interested in getting a demonstration of the AgroCares Scanner in combination with our new FeedCares solution? Contact us now by sending an email to info@agrocares.com with in the subject ”Demo FeedCares”.

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Expert blogs: Why adoption level is underestimated in fertiliser recommendations

agrocares — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:51:57 +0000

At SoilCares (now part of AgroCares) we are working with experienced soil scientists. One of them is Dr. Christy van Beek. She is an expert in soil fertility and food security. Over the next few weeks Christy will explain to you in several blogs why she believes adoption level is the most underestimated factor in fertiliser recommendations. In this first blog Dr. Christy van Beek will share her main conclusions about what 20 years of experience has taught her.

[Blog 1] What 20 years of experience has taught me about making fertiliser recommendations

A fertiliser recommendation serves to provide the land-user, who is most often a farmer, with advice on how best to manage the fertility, i.e. the productive capacity, of his or her land. Putting it like this, it seems like a remarkably simple exercise. Then why is there so much fuss about it? After nearly 20 years of research in soil fertility and nutrient management I came to some conclusions…

The key is in the application of the fertilisers, not in the fertilisers themselves

Let’s first get into the fuss… fertiliser recommendations typically address mineral fertilisers that is those fertilisers that originate from mines (P and K) or from air (N). There are some terrible stories of what can happen when mineral fertilisers are used in the wrong way…

In 2015 the report ‘A Soiled Reputation’ on the adverse impact of mineral fertilisers in (tropical) agriculture was published. It fueled the (sometimes fierce) discussion between supporters of ‘organic’ fertilisers and those who use ‘mineral’ fertilisers. However, the key is in the application of the fertilisers, not in the fertilisers themselves. Compare it with food: there is nothing wrong with food by itself, there are only wrong food habits. Fertiliser applications are like food habits: you have to know what you are doing, otherwise the cure may become a cause. So, when properly addressed, fertilisers, preferably a combination of mineral and organic sources, can have a great and positive impacts on crop growth and food production.

Fertiliser recommendations, that are environmentally sound and support plant growth, maintain soil health

Notably, about 50% of the global population depends on mineral fertilisers for their food intake. I am absolutely in favour of organic fertilisers, but simply banning mineral fertilisers would be a cruelty against mankind. So, what we need to do is to make proper fertilisers. There is a great review about some popular myths in soil fertility, many of them relating to confusion about the sources of fertilisers. The authors conclude “These myths need correction if we are to harness the role of science in the overall goal of assisting farmers to address the acute problems of poor soil fertility for smallholder farmers in sub-Sahara Africa”. I cannot agree more. We need fertiliser recommendations that support plant growth, maintain soil health and that are environmentally sound.

What makes a proper fertiliser recommendation?

What makes a fertiliser recommendation a proper one? Well…that depends on the objective of the recommendation. Scientists typically distinguish 3 objectives:

maximum yield level
maximum economical rate of return
maximum crop response, for example the highest yield response per amount of fertiliser applied.

The 3 different objectives are visualised below.

Figure 1. Scientists often distinguish 3 types of fertiliser recommendation objectives based on either crop performance (maximum yield or maximum response) or on economic performance. In this paper the objective of maximum adoption is put forward.

New objective for fertiliser recommendations: the adoption maximum.

However, in my view, the most important objective, at least for developing countries, is often missing, namely the highest adoption level. I therefore hereby put forward a new objective for fertiliser recommendations: the adoption maximum.

A perfect recommendation is pointless without the adoption of the farmer

Adoption is the extent to which people are willing and capable of bringing a recommendation into practice. Thus there is little relevance of developing a recommendation that is not brought into practice. And here is the shocking news: adoption rates of fertiliser recommendations are often appallingly low. They are typically less than 50%. In other words: you can make a beautiful (near to perfect) recommendation, but what is the point when it is not adopted by farmers?

Factors that influence the adoption of smallholder farmers

This brings me to my favourite hobby-horse: the issue of fertiliser adoption by (especially) smallholder farmers. I am increasingly intrigued by this topic, it is so fascinating! But I will talk about that subject more in my next blog where I will discuss the factors that influence the adoption of smallholder farmers.

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AgroCares entering the WEPAL

agrocares — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:48:47 +0000

At AgroCares, we develop innovative soil testing solutions that completely change the perception of soil testing and allow us to receive vital information about soil fertility in a fast and affordable manner. Our team comprises excellent soil scientists and researchers in the field of sensor technologies, experienced agronomists, IT specialists, and data analysts. Together we provide the solutions, which unleash crucial and comprehensive information about soil conditions from numerous spots in the field and make it possible to digitize and automate agricultural practices worldwide.

As AgroCares brings new innovative soil testing solutions to the markets, there are always many questions regarding the accuracy and quality of the technology. At AgroCares, we follow many procedures and protocols to ensure the quality of the measurements delivered to the final users.

In this article, we would like to explain one aspect of quality control of analytical measurements used by AgroCares to produce reliable and coherent data – participation in the independent proficiency testing scheme – WEPAL (Wageningen Evaluating Programmes for Analytical Laboratories).

What is WEPAL?

WEPAL is a proficiency testing (PT) scheme that assesses the laboratories’ performance by comparing the laboratory results with those of other laboratories by regularly analyzing the same homogenized sample (commonly, four times a year). WEPAL is a world-leading organizer of proficiency test programs in the plant, soil, sediments, and organic waste. More than 500 participants are using different PT schemes from all over the world. Nowadays, more and more laboratories are joining WEPAL as this control measure is recommended for accredited laboratories to ensure their proficiency. In some countries, it is obligatory for the laboratories to be part of the independent laboratory evaluation exchange program.

How does it work?

Usually, the WEPAL program participants receive a pre-treated, homogenized sample without any previous information about the composition of origin. All participants report the parameters of their interest and perform the soil analysis following their standard laboratory procedures. After the participants submit all the results, WEPAL delivers the final consolidated reports showing the results provided by all laboratories, methods applied, further statistical calculations. As AgroCares is also a part of WEPAL, we follow the same procedure to assure the quality and have a regular independent assessment of the analytical performance of our reference laboratory Golden Standard Laboratory (GSL). GSL is AgroCares’ high-quality analytical reference laboratory used for developing a global soil database to its spectroscopic devices and has participated in WEPAL since 2013.

As of January 2020, our spectral soil testing solutions are also part of WEPAL and are assessed in the same manner.

The AgroCares Scanner and Lab-in-a-Box solutions entered WEPAL

AgroCares Scanner and Lab-in-a-Box technologies are the first spectral laboratories to join the WEPAL proficiency testing scheme.

For the NIR-based Scanner solution, AgroCares has just started reporting pH and organic carbon, and will gradually introduce the remaining parameters that the Scanner measures. For the MIR-XRF-based Lab-in-a-Box solution, all macro and microelements are reported, which are also submitted by AgroCare’s Golden Standard Laboratory.

AgroCares is a forerunner in introducing database-driven spectral soil testing solutions. With the participation of the Scanner and the Lab-in-a-Box in the WEPAL program, soil spectroscopy is a step closer to being accepted as a reliable alternative for fast, affordable, and accessible soil testing. We intend to step aside from model performance and evaluate the accuracy of our technology based on repeatability of measurements and deviation from the “true value.”

From now on, our performance will be evaluated based on the comprehensive laboratory evaluation program used by other analytical laboratories.

Would you like to learn more about Lab-in-a-Box, Scanner solutions, and their possibilities? Please check our product page or contact us for more information by sending an email to info@agrocares.com

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SoilCares trade mission to Ukraine

agrocares — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:44:31 +0000

SoilCares (now part of AgroCares) international sales manager Robbert Ausems has participated in a trade mission to the Ukraine together with SoilCares’ Research Director Peter van Erp. This trade mission was led by mrs. Lilianne Ploumen, Dutch Minister of Foreign trade.

Before the trade mission took place the National Soil Centre in Kharkov was visited. The National Soil Centre signed an agreement to have a Lab-in-a-box as a demonstration laboratory this summer. This is a big step towards bringing our solutions to farmers in Ukraïne. A demo lab can show potential clients the convenience of the lab-in-a-box and show examples of recommendations that can be obtained from the Lab-in-a-box. The national Soil Centre will not only use the Lab-in-a-box as a demo lab, but will also use it to provide soil tests and fertiliser advices to farmers in the Ukraine.

Ukraine is one of the largest agrarian countries in Europe, our products can not only contribute by delivering higher yield but also to keep the soil fertility good for the future. With our products the farmer knows what to do!
Robbert Ausems
International Sales Manager

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SoilCares at AgroPort Kharkiv 20-22 October 2016

agrocares — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:25:50 +0000

SoilCares (now part of AgroCares) and National Scientific Center Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research (NNC ISSAR) will be presenting live demonstrations of SoilCares’ Lab-in-a-box at AgroPort Expo from 20-22 October 2016.

NNC ISSAR is the first laboratory in Ukraine using SoilCares Lab-in-a-box for soil analyses and fertiliser recommendations. We invite farmers to come to stand G2 (opposite Holland Pavilion) at AgroPort to experience how fast and affordable NNC ISSAR can provide soil analyses of their soil.

Large farmers, fertiliser companies, other laboratories, resellers of agricultural inputs and other companies providing services to large networks of farmers are also invited to experience how they can benefit from their own Lab-in-a-box.

AgroPort is one of the biggest events of the agricultural sector in Eastern Europe. SoilCares is very pleased the Global Soil Database has been updated for Ukraine so Ukrainian farmers can now benefit from SoilCares’solutions.

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SoilCares explores Myanmar market

agrocares — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:21:31 +0000

Representatives of SoilCares’ marketing and sales department visited Myanmar from 9 till 17 May, on invitation by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Aim of this mission was to gain insights in the agricultural market in Myanmar and to explore the need and opportunities for soil testing with different stakeholders (government, NGO’s, private companies). Together with scientists from Wageningen University and Research Centre and the company Orgaworld Asia, who is based in Myanmar, meetings were arranged with government officials. NGO’s and private companies throughout Myanmar.

The agricultural sector in Myanmar is of central importance from a strategic development and poverty reduction point of view, with a predominantly agricultural economy. Myanmar was ranked among the poorest (161 of 180 countries) by the International Monetary Fund. It ranks 149 of 187 countries on the United Nation human development index, placing lowest in East and Southeast Asia. Some 26% of the population lives in poverty.

In addition to being the core means of livelihood for the great majority of the population, improvements in agricultural productivity is critical to raising the livelihoods of the rural population. The government of Myanmar places the highest priority on development of the sector and sees it as the basis for food security and increased employment.

Soils in Myanmar are in general low in nutrients and organic matter. Soil erosion is also a big issue in multiple areas, especially in places in the dry zone.

The governments of Myanmar and the Netherlands signed a MoU in the field of agriculture on May 19^th 2015. The focus of Myanmar’s government is in developing agribusiness by improving access to research and knowledge and stimulating foreign companies to invest and enter the Myanmar market.

The meetings provided an excellent overview of the Myanmar market and everybody was very enthusiastic about SoilCares Lab-in-a- box and the SoilCares scanner. SoilCares is now evaluating what the best next steps are to prepare for the Myanmar market.

*SoilCares is now part of AgroCares

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Rabobank Foundation launching customer SoilCares scanner

agrocares — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:15:03 +0000

Today, June 14, Rabobank Foundation and SoilCares Foundation have signed a MoU in the presence of minister Van Dam of Agriculture of the Netherlands. The MoU will see Rabobank Foundation donate EUR 400,000 to enable the introduction of over 150 SoilCares scanners, with the aim of assisting smallholder farmers realize better soil fertility, productivity and income. The SoilCares scanner is the first device in the world providing very affordable, realtime, on-the-spot soil analyses and fertiliser recommendations. With the scanner, Kenyan smallholder farmers will be able to determine which fertiliser inputs are needed and at what quantities. Kenya is the first country where the scanner will be introduced. Minister Van Dam is in Kenya and Tanzania this week. Focus of this visit is the development of potato production and yield improvements. The SoilCares scanner can also contribute to these developments.

SoilCares

SoilCares (now part of AgroCares) is a spin-off of one of the oldest and best agricultural laboratories in the Netherlands. It is the SoilCares’ dream to bring all the knowledge from an agricultural laboratory literally in the hands of all farmers worldwide, in a very affordable way. After years of development and research, SoilCares has developed the SoilCares Scanner, which will now be introduced in Kenya. With this support from Rabobank Foundation, the scanner can be used on a larger scale and business models based on maximal impact for smallholder farmers, can be tested. Rabobank Foundation has entered a partnership with SoilCares Foundation. SoilCares Foundation was established to maximise impact on smallholder farmers with SoilCares’ technologies. SoilCares Foundation and Rabobank Foundation will create impact among smallholder farmers in Kenya, using the first scanners and complementary training programmes.

Rabobank Foundation

Rabobank Foundation aims to contribute improving the position of smallholder farmers in developing countries. By supporting farmer cooperatives they will have access to financial means, knowledge and networks. The cooperation with SoilCares will contribute to achieving this goal. By using the scanner and the complementary training, farmers will gain knowledge about their soil and the right input of fertilisers, which can improve productivity. This will lead to positive effects on famers’ incomes and food security. The partnership between Rabobank Foundation and SoilCares Foundation is an excellent example of the Banking for food strategy of Rabobank, to contribute to feeding the world on a more sustainable basis. Support from Rabobank is very important to SoilCares. The cooperation with Rabobank will contribute to the economic and organisational proof of concept of the SoilCares scanner, so smallholder farmers worldwide will benefit as soon as possible from the scanner.

How does it work?

All SoilCares’ products are equipped with sensors and are based on smart databases. The SoilCares scanner is equipped with a small Near Infrared sensor and an EC meter and can scan soils. Through a blue tooth connexion the data of the scan are transferred via an App on a smartphone to the SoilCares Global Soil Database, consisting of thousands of soil analyses. After a comparison is made between the data in the database and data of the scan, fertiliser recommendations (based on extensive calculations) are given on the smartphone within a minute and can be printed.

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