SOIL MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Services (SCS), to improve the classification and management of soils in tropical and subtropical countries. The SCS will implement project activities in the two areas - TA and technology transfer. SCS will provide short-term TA to both A.I.D. and LDC"s in soil survey quality control, soil conservation, soil erosion control and water management, soil taxonomy and fertility, soil resource inventory, land use planning, and training. A.I.D. will be assisted in formulating appropriate policies and programs relating to problems of land use and food production in tropical LDC"s, and proposed or ongoing soil conservation projects will be reviewed. To assist LDC"s, SCS will provide analysis and/or field testing of soil surveys and soil conservation programs; seminars and training programs will also be organized to meet soil management needs. Technology and information transfer will be encouraged by upgrading the U.S. system of Soil Taxonomy (ST) to account for particular aspects of tropical soils. Work of four international committees to create an ST system more acceptable and useful to tropical LDC"s will be coordinated, finalized, and incorporated. The SCS International Soil Classification and Correlation (ISCC) staff will organize international workshops for local LDC soil scientists on ST improvement. A total of 25 recognized soil experts will be invited to participate in such workshops. Workshop results will be evaluated and published by the ISCC and will be incorporated into the ST system. The ISCC staff will also provide limited field assistance in the use of soil taxonomy to scientists involved in LDC soil survey projects. The SCS National Soil Survey Laboratory will verify analytical procedures and results established by cooperating laboratories for use in soil classification; develop methods for characterizing soils in intertropical areas; perform sophisticated soil analyses in countries lacking adequate laboratory facilities; and maintain a data bank of representative soil types. Amendment of 3/23/89 extends the PACD to 9/91 to allow time to develop a follow-on umbrella-type network project focusing on soil and water research and development. (PD-AAY-927)