Farmers have been urged to frequently carry out soil tests to get critical information on their soil’s general health and nutrients composition.
Agriculture experts say soil testing would help farmers ascertain the type and quantity of fertilizer to apply on their farms hence reducing wastage and boosting production.
Over application of fertilizer has in many cases reduced the soil’s fertility in many parts of the country thus contributing to low agricultural output.
Soil experts are urging farmers to frequently monitor the general health of the soil on their farm to ensure they do not waste resources on the wrong fertilizer.
To make it easier for farmers to carry out soil tests, Soilcare has developed a portable soil test scanner that gives accurate information about the soils composition in a day.
Farmers are required to download a Soilcare application on their smart phone which facilitates sending of information about the soil nutrients and composition directly to the farmer’s phone.
The firm targets to sell the gadget to cooperatives and county governments who will in turn provide soil testing services to farmers at a subsidized price.
Agriculture experts are also calling for cheaper technology that will help farmers produce more to boost the country’s food security.
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