The Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), in collaboration with the IITA, organized a two-day Soil Profile Data Submission Review Workshop under the Liberia Land and Soil Resources Knowledge Project (Soils4Liberia).
Held from 2 to 3 November 2026 at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) in Suakoko, Bong County, the workshop brought together field surveyors and team leaders, as well as relevant staff from CARI, the University of Liberia (UL), the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), MATE, and IITA. Participants reviewed and strengthened the quality, consistency, and scientific accuracy of soil profile data generated through the project.
The workshop was led by Dr Yuri Gelsleichter of MATE and built on technical discussions and engagements held during the five-day Stakeholder Coordination and Partnership Workshop in Monrovia the previous week. Dr Adam Csorba of MATE facilitated the sessions virtually, while IITA’s Soils4Liberia Technical Lead, Dr Samuel Mesele; Project Manager, Dr Abebe Shiferaw Dakka; and other technical staff contributed to the discussions.
The review covered key areas of soil science, including soil genesis and the factors influencing soil formation in Liberia, soil survey methodologies, and the technical requirements for documenting and submitting soil profile data.
A major component of the workshop was a practical field exercise involving the examination and review of a soil profile near CARI. The exercise enabled participants to connect theoretical discussions with field observations, deepen their understanding of soil characteristics, and improve the accuracy of soil profile descriptions and data submissions.
The workshop marked an important step towards ensuring that soil information generated under Soils4Liberia is scientifically reliable, consistent, and suitable for integration into Liberia’s developing national soil information system.
Through collaboration among IITA, MATE, ISRIC, the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health in West Africa and the Sahel, the Ministry of Agriculture, CARI, and the University of Liberia, Soils4Liberia continues to strengthen national technical capacity and advance the generation of credible soil and land resource information to support agricultural planning, sustainable soil management, and food security in Liberia. Supported by the European Union, the Soils4Liberia project is working with national and international institutions to strengthen Liberia’s capacity to collect, analyze, manage, and utilize soil information for evidence-based agricultural development.