By Abdirahman Abdillahi Ibrahim
For farmers, soil is more than the ground beneath their feet. It is the foundation of food production. Yet across Somaliland, one of the most fundamental questions in modern agriculture remains difficult to answer with confidence: What exactly is in our soil, and what does it need?
The challenge is not simply a lack of fertilizer. It is a lack of reliable, comprehensive soil information.
Somaliland does not yet have a fully developed soil-testing laboratory capable of routinely providing integrated assessments of agricultural soils. Such a facility would analyze essential plant nutrients, both macro and micronutrients, as well as soil pH, texture, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and other key chemical properties. It would also assess physical and biological characteristics such as soil structure, bulk density, compaction, moisture, temperature, and biological activity.
Some soil-testing capacity exists, but it is fragmented across institutions and limited in scope.
For instance, public works and engineering laboratory may analyze soil properties relevant to construction. Agricultural laboratory in the Ministry of Agricultural Development in Hargeisa can test certain nutrients, but not provide a full soil-health assessment. The Somaliland Institute of Agricultural Research is still developing its laboratory capacity, equipment, and technical expertise for broader soil analysis.
This fragmented system creates a major information gap for farmers, extension workers, researchers, and policymakers.
A farmer cannot manage what has not been measured
Farmers may notice poor crop growth, slow development, or rapid water drainage, but visual observation alone cannot identify the cause.
Low yields may result from nutrient deficiencies, pH imbalance, low organic matter, poor soil structure, salinity, or compaction restricting root growth.
Two fields that look similar can therefore require very different management.
Soil testing is not just a laboratory process—it is a practical agricultural tool. It helps determine nutrient needs, soil constraints, and appropriate management actions.
Beyond NPK
Soil fertility is often reduced to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but this is only part of the picture.
Crops also require calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, manganese, copper, boron, and molybdenum.
Soil pH strongly influences nutrient availability, while soil texture affects water movement, aeration, and nutrient retention. Cation exchange capacity is also critical for understanding soil fertility and fertilizer efficiency.
The hidden problem beneath the surface
Soil health is not only chemical.
Even fertile soils can underperform if physically degraded. Compaction can restrict root growth and reduce water infiltration, while dense layers can block access to deeper moisture—especially in dryland farming systems.
Soil moisture dynamics are also essential for managing planting, irrigation, and conservation practices.
Biological activity is equally important. Soil organisms drive nutrient cycling, organic matter breakdown, and soil structure formation, making soil a living system rather than an inert medium.
Why this matters for Somaliland agriculture
Somaliland’s agriculture faces variable rainfall, recurring drought, and land degradation. In such conditions, inputs must be used carefully and based on evidence.
The goal is not simply more fertilizer, but the right input, in the right amount, at the right time, and in the right place.
Reliable soil data would allow extension services to provide location-specific recommendations rather than general advice. It would also support better decisions on fertilizer use, organic amendments, soil conservation, crop selection, and land management practices.
Aburin illustrates the wider challenge
Areas such as Aburin show how farmers can cultivate the same land for years without understanding its true soil condition.
A practical solution is a coordinated national soil-testing system, where equipped laboratories analyze representative samples and provide standardized results. Field tools can complement this by measuring moisture, temperature, and compaction.
Over time, this would build a national soil database.
From soil tests to soil maps
The long-term goal should go beyond individual reports toward national soil maps showing fertility patterns and constraints across farming regions.
Such maps would support agricultural planning, fertilizer recommendations, irrigation development, and climate-resilient farming. They would also prevent the assumption that all soils in a region behave the same.
Building the capacity to understand the land
A functional system requires more than equipment. It needs trained technicians, standardized methods, quality control, proper sampling, and strong data systems.
Most importantly, results must reach farmers in a usable form. Without interpretation and extension support, soil data has limited value.
A foundation for smarter agriculture
Somaliland’s agricultural future depends on making informed decisions under resource constraints. This begins with understanding the soil itself.
The lack of integrated soil-testing capacity is not just a technical gap—it is an agricultural information gap.
Before increasing fertilizer use or promoting new practices, Somaliland must first answer a basic question: What does each soil actually need?
Without reliable soil data, decisions will continue to rely on assumptions. With it, agriculture can become more efficient, resilient, and productive.
Understanding the soil is not a luxury. It is a foundation for sustainable agricultural development.
