UAE Soil Information System is up and Running Online

In recent years, the United Arab Emirates has supported several activities regarding soil including soil mapping, soil salinity and management research, soil classification, soil agriculture suitability, and the International Conference on Soil Classification and Reclamation of Degraded Lands in Arid Environments (year 2010).

Part of it, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in collaboration with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) have worked on a soil mapping project in the UAE, which has been integrated into the UAE Soil Information System (UAESIS). The UAESIS is a tool for decision makers to make informed decisions on land use planning. This is important for maximizing the benefits from the scarce land resources of the UAE. UAESIS contains over twenty different detailed maps, including soil maps, soil salinity maps, and irrigated agriculture suitability maps. The UAESIS is accessible free of charge through the website on the following address: https://enviroportal.ead.ae/map/ 

Dr. Shabbir Shahid, soil scientist at ICBA, is one of the key members of the team that worked on the soil maps in the UAE. “The SIS system in the UAE is amongst the most advanced and exhaustive systems currently available worldwide”, states Dr. Shahid. “The investment made by EAD on this project is expected to bring multiple benefits in terms of national land development. I encourage decision makers from both the public and private sectors to take advantage of this rare and valuable resource.”