The Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) is set to build a national soil information system in a bid to collect, store, interpret and disseminate information about soil found in Ethiopia at an estimated cost of five million Br.

When operational after six months, the databases will be accessed through a website and an application and will provide soil information to farmers, extension workers and interested individuals.

The system will identify the GPS location and analyse the soil type found in that specific area and provide information on 22 soil parameters like PH level, texture, structure and various elements and compounds.

“Currently, there is no centralised database regarding soil,” said Tegabu Belete, project team leader at Ethiopian Soil Information System Project. “The new system aims at integrating existing information regarding soil.”

The National Soil Information System will also analyse the information and give feedback like fertiliser and soil use recommendations.

The current soil map of Ethiopia was built in 1970. The map was done with very few soil samples and is limited.

“For the past 50 years Ethiopia has been using two types of fertilisers, Urea and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), without any study or impact assessment on soil,” said Tegbaru. “The major goal we want to achieve with this system is soil-based fertilizer use.”

Currently, the Agency is in the process of hiring an IT firm to develop and design the information system.

“We have completed collecting the necessary information and bought the infrastructure needed to implement the system,” said Tegbaru “We only need an IT firm to design and build us the framework where the soil information can be accessed.”

On October 27, 2018 the Agency floated a tender for an international bid. The bid closed on November 12, and the agency is now in the process of evaluating the technical capabilities of 13 companies that submitted their.

The Agency floated a national tender for the first time in 2017.

“The national tender was cancelled as the local firms did not meet the technical standard,” Tigabu told Fortune. “That’s why we now opened the bid for international firms.”

The Agency plans to finalise and hire the firm in two months and launch the first phase of the system in six months.

The data system is the final phase of a 10-million-dollar project funded by USAID and the World Bank and implemented by the Agency for the past six years.