FAO's 

GLOBAL SOIL PARTNERSHIP LAUNCH FOR 
EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA
EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA
Nairobi,  25 to 27 MARCH 2013

The Status of Soil
The Status of Soil Resources in 
Resources in
Mozambique

Jacinto Mirione
Jacinto Mirione Mafalacusser
jmafalacusser@gmail.com
 Background Information
Mozambique
 Location
Location: Mozambique is a country in
Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean
to the East;
East; Tanzania to the North;
North; Malawi and
Zambia to the North‐
North‐West, Zimbabwe to the
West;; and,
West and Swaziland and South Africa to the
South‐‐West
South West.. The capital city is Maputo
Maputo..
 Coastal Line
Line:: Coastal line of about 2,700 km
of Indian Ocean
Ocean..
 Area
Area: 799,380 km
799,380 km
, 2;; 

 Population
Population: About 23 million (estimative –
July, 2012
2012)); Growing Population Rate of 2.5%;
More than 70 70%
% live in rural areas, agriculture
being the most important activity
activity..
 Water Balance
P>1/2*ETO (mm)  Climate:
Mozambique
b h a tropicall climate
has l with
h
two seasons, a Wet season from October
of a year to March of the following year
and a Dry season from April to September
September..

Climatic conditions, however, vary

depending on altitude.
altitude. Rainfall is heavy
a) Floods along the coast and high lands and
decreases in the south south.. Annual
precipitation varies from 350 to 1,400 mm
depending on the region, with an average
P<1/2*ETO (mm)
off 800 mm
mm..
b) Droughts
Cyclones and floods are common during
the wet season
season.. Average
g temperature
p
ranges in Maputo are from 13 to 24 °C in
July to 22 to 31 °C in February.
February.
 History of Soil Surveys in Mozambique

Type of Survey Purpose Map Scale General Method Coverage Published

Exploratory Establishing major soil 1: 2,000,000 Deduction from natural All  Early 60’s
regions for agricultural resources maps ex. ex geological Country
planning maps, study of satellite imagery,
1:1,000,000 All  1995
aerial photo interpretation, soil
Country
observations at selected sites
Reconnaissance Systematic inventory of 1: 250,000 and laboratory analysis of Maputo, 1990
l d resources with
land ih selected soil profiles. Gaza
multipurpose land
1:250,000 All  To be 
evaluation for regional
country Completed 
planning and project
in 2014
location.
Semi detailed General purpose:  High  1:50,000 Photo interpretation, intensive Maputo,  1990
potential areas; Special  field observations (limited field Gaza
purpose: Project  testing), laboratory analysis of
feasibility studies
y selected pprofile and composite
p
samples
Detailed Special purpose: Farm 1:10,000 Intensive field observations, Scattered
estate and project 1:5,000 aerial photo interpretation; field
development, testing, laboratory analysis of
characterization of trial soil profiles and composite
sites, irrigation layout samples
and planning
 Field Data Collection
a) Site visit and 
a) Site visit and augering
augering b) Soil profile description and sampling

c) Infiltration test d) Field EC & pH  reading
Major Soil Types
Some Soil Characteristics 
Derived from the Soil Map 

(Soil Effective Depth
Soil Effective Depth))
Some Soil Characteristics 
Derived from the Soil Map 

(Soil Drainage Classes
Soil Drainage Classes))
 Some Soil Characteristics 
Derived from the Soil Map 

(Soil Organic Matter Content)
Some Soil Characteristics 
Derived from the Soil Map 

(Soil Water Holding Capacity
Soil Water Holding Capacity))
Some Soil Characteristics 
Derived from the Soil Map 

(Soil Electrical Conductivity
Soil Electrical Conductivity))
Some Climate Characteristics 
Derived from the 
Derived from the Meteo
Meteo Map 

(Length of Growing Period
Length of Growing Period))
Some Climate Characteristics 
Derived from the 
Derived from the Meteo
Meteo Map 

(Pattern of Growing Period
Pattern of Growing Period))
 Land Characteristics (LCs) and Land 
Qualities (LQs) taken into 
consideration for Land Suitability 
id ti f L d S it bilit
Assessment for Selected Land 
Utilization Types (LUTs)
Land Characteristics Land Qualities
(LCs) (LQs)
 Slope;
Sl  Topographic
T hi (T);
(T)
 Coarse Fragments;  Physical aspects of
 Soil Depth; the soils (S);
 Soil
S il texture;
t t  Nutrient
 pH; OM; CEC; availability (F);
 Na, Ca, Mg ,K;  Oxign availability
((W);
);
 N ;P;
P ∑Bases;
∑B
 Salinity & Sodicity
 Drainage Classes; (N);
 Floods;  Climatic conditions
 WHC off the
h Soils
S il Types;
T (C).
 Salinity & ESP;
 Etc.
Matching of LURs and LQs for each Selected Land Utilization Type (LUTs) 

Land Utilization Types (LUTs) Resource Inventory Data
+++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++
Definition of relevant LUTs  Delineations and descriptions of
Key attributes: produce, labour, capital, the soil mapping units.
farm power, farm size, technology,  Data on Mapping Units (MU).
management.  Data on Climate,
Climate
 Data on vegetation, hydrology, etc.

LUT Specific Land Requirements (LRs) Land Qualities (LQs)
+++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++
 Ecological;
l l Specific
f land
l d qualities
l related
l d with
h
 Management; requirement of plant growth,
 Conservation; management practices, etc. are
 Improvement rated for each mapping unit.

Conversion Table
++++++++++++++
Matching of criteria with LRs and LQs 
Matching of criteria with LRs and LQs
for each LUT – (using ALES)

LLand Suitability Classes
d S i bili Cl
for each Mapping Unit (MU)
per Land Utilization Type (LUT)
Results of Matching of LURs and LQs for each Selected
Land Utilization Type 

POTENTIAL AREAS FOR
Rainfed Agriculture
Major Limiting Factors::
Major Limiting Factors
 Precipitation during the growing 
period; Length of  growing period,
 Effective Soil Depth,
 Erosion (risk), and 
 Low Water Holding Capacity.
 POTENTIAL AREAS FOR
Afforestation
(Fast Growing Species
Fast Growing Species)

Major Limiting Factors:
 Annual precipitation < 1000 mm
Annual precipitation < 1000 mm
 Effective soil depth < 100 cm
 Altitude < 1000 m
Altitude < 1000 m
 Soil Water Holding Capacity
 POTENTIAL AREAS FOR
Irrigated Agriculture
(Paddy rice, Surface,
Subsurface and Sprinkler)
 POTENTIAL AREAS FOR
Extensive Grazing
g
Major Limiting Factors::
Major Limiting Factors
 precipitation,

 effective soil depth;
 erosion risck;
 Water Holding Capacity.
Water Holding Capacity
g p y

Note: The Tse Fly and Water Drinking Points

Note:
not considered
considered;;
CUMULATIVE POTENTIAL

(AGRICULTURE, 
AGRICULTURE, AFFORESTATION
AFFORESTATION, , 
EXTENSIVE GRAZING,
EXTENSIVE GRAZING, FRAGILE 
FRAGILE
ECOSSYSTEMS and
ECOSSYSTEMS  and Not 
Recommended))
Recommended
THANK YOU
THANK YOU