Farmer and USDA Soil Classification Comparison in Kamuli District, Uganda

Francis Akitwine's dataset compares a farmer-based soil classification system with USDA Soil Taxonomy suborders in Kamuli District, Uganda. The data is based on 5 years of integrated pedological work, including participatory discussions, soil mapping, and 23 pedon descriptions. It was last updated on 2026-05-05 and is licensed under CC-BY-4.0.

Use Cases

• Compare farmer soil groups (Lirugavu, Lubalebale, Mukyanga, Mutaala) with USDA suborders (Aqualfs, Aquolls, Ustalfs, Ustults, Ustox, Ustipsamments) based on the documented correspondence.
• Analyze the relationship between farmer soil productivity rankings and Corn Suitability Rating (CSR2) values mentioned in the description.
• Study how soil properties like depth of mollic colors, clay content, SOM, N, and CEC differentiate farmer-based soil groupings.
• Investigate vertical variation in soil properties (0–15 cm vs 15–30 cm depth) captured by different classification systems.

Strengths

• Data is based on 5 years of integrated pedological work, suggesting a longitudinal study.
• Includes 23 pedon descriptions, providing a foundation for soil property analysis.
• Compares four distinct farmer soil groups with six USDA Soil Taxonomy suborders, enabling cross-system analysis.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The 6.4 MB file size suggests a small dataset, potentially limiting statistical power.

Provenance

Source

Francis Akitwine via figshare.

Collection Method

Participatory approach including discussions, soil mapping, field reconnaissance, and pedon descriptions.

Time Range

Study period spans 5 years (specific years not provided).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-05 05:28:40; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Kamuli District, Uganda, specifically three villages.