Articles | Volume 9, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-277-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-277-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
26 May 2023
Original research article |
| 26 May 2023
| 26 May 2023
Accuracy of regional-to-global soil maps for on-farm decision-making: are soil maps “good enough”?
Jonathan J. Maynard
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Sustainability Innovation Lab, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
present address: National Soil Survey Center, USDA-NRCS, Tangent, Oregon, USA
Edward Yeboah
Soil Research Institute, Soil Microbiology Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
Kwadaso-Kumasi, Ghana
Stephen Owusu
Department of Soil Science, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and
Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
Soil Research Institute, Soil Genesis, Survey and Classification Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR), Kwadaso-Kumasi, Ghana
Michaela Buenemann
Department of Geography, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
Jason C. Neff
Sustainability Innovation Lab, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Jeffrey E. Herrick
Jornada Experimental Range, USDA-ARS, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
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- Decolonizing and re-rooting soil science: Towards equitable global collaboration and local empowerment, case of Morocco A. Bouasria et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilad.2025.100088
- Ensemble Band Selection for Quantification of Soil Total Nitrogen Levels from Hyperspectral Imagery K. Misbah et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16142549
- National baseline high-resolution mapping of soil organic carbon in Moroccan cropland areas A. Bouasria et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00941
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- Global determinants of yield variability under sustainable farming approaches across climate, soil, and topography. A meta-analysis K. Hounkpatin et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-026-01133-7
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- Updating a legacy soil map to the WRB: diagnostic conflicts and taxonomic shifts in tropical volcanic soils of Réunion F. Feder https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.110363
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- A multi-domain framework for mapping soil degradation susceptibility in Mediterranean landscapes S. Guerreiro et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2026.1854945
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- Spatial downscaling of global soil texture classes into 30 m images at the province scale T. Flynn & R. Kostecki https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomat.2024.100028
- Modeling soil erosion and sediment yield under climate change: a comparison of RUSLE and MUSLE integrated with SDR using variable soil data resolutions H. Lamane et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-025-02544-3
- Evaluating soilGrids predictions along urban gradients in tropical africa using a convergence-of-evidence approach with field vegetation and remote sensing data from two nigerian cities O. Shaibu & A. Kirichuk https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-026-02080-7
- Development of Mathematical and Computational Models for Predicting Agricultural Soil–Water Management Properties (ASWMPs) to Optimize Intelligent Irrigation Systems and Enhance Crop Resilience B. Tóth et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15040942
- Towards data-driven tropical forest restoration: Uncovering spatial variation, interactions and historical management effects on nutrients along soil depth gradients N. Tasnim et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176756
- Converting the genetic-based national soil classification to the World Reference Base: a challenge for updating soil mapping in Portugal M. Madeira et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/sjss.2026.16368
- Uncertainties in Digital Soil Mapping and Possibilities of Overcoming Them I. Savin et al. https://doi.org/10.3103/S0147687426700018
- Uncertainties in digital soil mapping and possibilities of overcoming them I. Savin et al. https://doi.org/10.55959/MSU0137-0944-17-2026-81-2-7-16
- Decolonizing and re-rooting soil science: Towards equitable global collaboration and local empowerment, case of Morocco A. Bouasria et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilad.2025.100088
- Ensemble Band Selection for Quantification of Soil Total Nitrogen Levels from Hyperspectral Imagery K. Misbah et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16142549
- National baseline high-resolution mapping of soil organic carbon in Moroccan cropland areas A. Bouasria et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00941
- Mapping soil fertility properties in central Ethiopia at 100 m spatial resolution M. Redi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00952
- Global determinants of yield variability under sustainable farming approaches across climate, soil, and topography. A meta-analysis K. Hounkpatin et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-026-01133-7
- Soil Properties Classification in Sustainable Agriculture Using Genetic Algorithm-Optimized and Deep Neural Networks Y. Tynchenko et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198598
- Updating a legacy soil map to the WRB: diagnostic conflicts and taxonomic shifts in tropical volcanic soils of Réunion F. Feder https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.110363
- Unraveling drivers of maize (Zea mays L.) yield variability in Ghana: A machine learning approach A. Kouame et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2025.110647
- Operational Digital Soil Mapping: Achievements, Challenges and Future Strategies to Go Beyond P. Lagacherie https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70139
- How Accurately Is Topsoil Texture Shown on Agricultural Soil Maps? A Case Study of Eleven Fields Located in Poland M. Stępień et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111852
- Assessment of trade-off balance of maize stover use for bioenergy and soil erosion mitigation in Western Kenya K. Jindo et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1409457
- Operational harmonisation of soil maps in Portugal using legacy data and WRB classification S. Guerreiro et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2026.e01070
- Spatial Downscaling of Global Categorical Soil Information Into Data Suitable for Land-Use Management T. FLYNN https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4496677
- A multi-domain framework for mapping soil degradation susceptibility in Mediterranean landscapes S. Guerreiro et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2026.1854945
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 17 Aug 2026
Short summary
Accurate information on soil properties is critical for identifying soil limitations and the management practices needed to improve crop yields on smallholder farms. This study evaluated the accuracy of soil map information for agronomic decision-making. Based on four publicly available soil maps in Ghana, we found that soil map data significantly overestimated crop suitability, potentially leading to ineffective agronomic investments by smallholder farmers.
Accurate information on soil properties is critical for identifying soil limitations and the...
