The science behind Mozambique’s soils

04/09/2026

Every morning at 7:30 am, Stília Vilanculos puts on her lab coat, gloves, protective glasses and mask, and begins work that could help shape the future of farming in Mozambique. 

At the chemistry laboratory at the Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique (IIAM), Stília and her colleagues process nearly 100 soil samples each day. The analyses measure physicochemical properties – including texture, pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, nutrients and heavy metals – that are essential for understanding soil fertility and for helping farmers improve productivity. 

Stília joined IIAM immediately after finishing school. She was first trained in chemistry, later earned a degree in agro-livestock sciences and is now completing a master’s degree in plant production focused on cassava research.

The work requires precision, technical expertise and strict adherence to safety procedures. Technicians handle acids and chemical reagents carefully while working with ultraviolet/visible spectrometers, distillation systems and analytical equipment.

The laboratory team comprises seven permanent technicians – four women and three men – a mix that reflects the growing number of women in agricultural science in Mozambique. Across the country, women are increasingly leading research, managing farms, strengthening laboratories and supporting rural livelihoods.

For years, however, the laboratory faced a major constraint: ageing equipment and limited opportunities for technical training.

According to Stília, the SoilFER programme has helped change that. SoilFER – Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems – is a global programme operating in Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Mozambique, Tunisia and Zambia with financial support from the Governments of the United States of America and Japan. In Mozambique, it is implemented by the Government of Mozambique, under IIAM, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

SoilFER goes beyond producing soil maps. It helps countries build soil intelligence – the capacity to generate reliable soil data, interpret it and translate it into practical recommendations and better decisions for farmers and policymakers. The programme supports the full chain, from soil sampling and laboratory analysis to mapping, interpretation and farm-level recommendations. This turns soil evidence into action and supports better decisions on crops, fertilizer use and soil management. 

By strengthening national capacity to generate and use soil information, SoilFER contributes to increased agricultural productivity and more resilient agrifood systems, thereby strengthening food security across Mozambique. 

Through the initiative, the laboratory is receiving nearly 100 new pieces of equipment, including water distillers, nitrogen analysers and spectrometers, along with extensive technical training and additional personnel support. 

“This programme is allowing us to grow professionally,” Stília explains. “We better understand the whole process, from soil collection and analysis to interpretation of results.”

One of the programme’s most significant changes has been to bring laboratory science and fieldwork closer together. Historically, laboratory technicians rarely participated in soil collection. Through SoilFER, they are increasingly involved in sample collection and field monitoring, helping to link scientific analysis to farmers’ realities on the ground.

Once the laboratory team extracts data from the soil samples, the information is passed to specialists such as Janete Americano, a soil fertility specialist who translates scientific analysis into practical recommendations for farmers. Her role demonstrates how laboratory results become practical guidance for farmers, turning soil data into soil intelligence that can be applied on the ground.

Holding a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and a master's in plant production, Janete is currently finalizing a PhD in agriculture and has worked in IIAM’s Soil Fertility Department since 2013. Her role bridges field research and laboratory science, helping to interpret soil analysis results and develop recommendations that support agricultural productivity and resilience.

Her work increasingly focuses on central and northern Mozambique, where shifting rainfall patterns and weather variability can pose significant challenges for rainfed farming systems. Through soil surveys, field trials and crop suitability assessments, SoilFER is helping generate the soil information needed to better understand these production conditions and support more informed decisions on crops, soil fertility management and agricultural inputs.

Alongside her work at IIAM and her consultancy activities, Janete is also a mother, entrepreneur and farmer, managing 13 hectares of land in Moamba and Boane and producing maize, cassava, sweet potato and seasonal vegetables. 

“I wake up between four and five in the morning,” she explains. “You need organization. You need commitment.”

Women leading agricultural transformation

SoilFER recognises that stronger, more resilient agrifood systems depend not only on technology and innovation but also on people. By expanding access to training, modern technologies, soil data and agricultural information systems, the programme is strengthening the capacity of scientists, technicians and farmers to make better-informed decisions in the face of land degradation, drought, weather variability and other agricultural production challenges.

Stília, Janete and a new generation of women scientists are helping to build the technical foundations for more productive and resilient agrifood systems – and for long-term food security and nutrition. Their expertise, supported by stronger national institutions and agricultural entrepreneurship, is helping to restore soil health and fertility. By linking science, national institutions and farmers, SoilFER demonstrates that better soil information leads to healthier soils, higher productivity, more efficient use of inputs and stronger food security.