Embrapa Soils and the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) will start a technical cooperation project to elevate the production potential of soils in that country by correcting their acidity. The partnership, which is supported by the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC, from the acronym in Portuguese), is going to disseminate best practices in liming - the process of preparing soils for agricultural cultivation, in which limestone is applied to neutralize toxic aluminum and to increase calcium and magnesium contents. This Wednesday (Aug 15),a team of four EIAR scientists met with researchers from Embrapa Soils to discuss details of the cooperation. According to the Ethiopian representatives, the degraded soil area in that country borders 44%. Embrapa Soils' head of Research and Development, Vinícius Benites, explains that the partnership aims at correcting the high level of acidity of African soils based on the use of good liming practices. “First, we will identify sources of limestone in Ethiopia, bring samples to characterize in Brazil, and then determine the curves of response to liming to develop a recommendation system”, Benites explains. According to him, these studies allow the identification of the best lime sources. “Liming provides for above 300% in potential gains.” Successful experience in the Brazilian Cerrado is the foundation for the cooperation with Ethiopia The process determined the transformation of the Brazilian Cerrado soils in the 1970s. Previously deemed unproductive and of low agricultural potential, the biome today is one of the most flourishing in Brazilian agribusiness. Benites believes that the results should be equally positive in the African country, since weather and soil conditions are similar. After this stage, the technology will be transferred to Ethiopian researchers and technicians, who will work as multipliers in the country. Other actions by Embrapa Soils in Africa The partnership with EIAR represents the beginning of a research network in the African continent, as the Embrapa unit has already planned activities in Uganda, Tanzania and Ghana. They are comprised in the project "Linking knowledge to Action: Co-developing best-bet options for integrated soil fertility management, increased profitability and poverty reduction in agricultural landscapes of Africa", part of the Marketplace/M-BoSs. According to the researcher Ana Paula Turetta, the project aims at the expansion and validation of the use of the InPaC-S participatory tool for the training of agricultural professionals at important national institutions in the countries that comprise the project, with the aim of integrating local and technical knowledge about soil quality indicators for an efficient management of soil fertility. The methodology guide can be downloaded for free here: http://www.worldagroforestry.org/downloads/Publications/PDFS/B17293.pdf