Varda Foundation open sources SoilHive to advance global soil data infrastructure

New open-source platform will support governments, researchers and the wider industry to securely share trusted soil data while retaining national ownership

ROME, ITALY, August 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Varda Foundation today announced it is making SoilHive, its soil data platform, open-source, enabling organisations around the world to manage their own soil data while participating in a globally connected, interoperable network.

The open-source release marks a major milestone in a three-year initiative, led by The Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH), funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), to strengthen soil information services, starting with Kenya, Ghana, Malawi and Tanzania. By making SoilHive openly available, Varda Foundation aims to accelerate collaboration between governments, researchers, agribusinesses and technology providers while ensuring countries retain ownership and control of their own soil data.

Healthy soils are fundamental to agricultural productivity, food security and climate resilience, yet soil data often remains fragmented across organisations and borders. SoilHive addresses this challenge through a federated architecture that allows data to be managed locally while remaining globally discoverable and interoperable, enabling organisations to collaborate without compromising data sovereignty.

The open-source release will enable governments, researchers and developers to adopt, adapt and build upon the platform, supporting a growing ecosystem of soil data-driven services. Potential applications include soil carbon measurement and reporting, land restoration, fertiliser recommendations, agricultural lending and insurance, land-use planning and sustainability reporting.

Simone Sala, Executive Director at Varda Foundation, commented: “We all know that the challenges facing agriculture are too complex for organisations to tackle in isolation, and that's why we created the Varda Foundation in the first place. Now we're doubling down by making SoilHive open source, creating shared infrastructure that others can adopt, adapt and build upon, while ensuring that everyone remains in control of their own data. We want everyone to contribute, so together we can scale and accelerate our understanding of soil and improve outcomes for farmers, communities and the environment.”

Ingvild Langhus, Senior Advisor at NORAD, added: “SoilHive creates an opportunity to bring soil data into one space - similar to a public library in a digital format. Significant investments have been made in collecting data on soil health. We need to increase and improve access to this data. That is why we have established this public-private partnership to enhance access to information about the soil where our food grows. The launch of the SoilHive open-source platform is a milestone for digital public goods in agriculture, and we welcome all stakeholders to be part of the journey.”

The initiative will initially establish interoperable soil data infrastructure across Africa, working with national research institutions and public sector organisations to improve how soil information is collected, shared and used. Alongside the technology, it will strengthen national soil health programmes through training, capacity building and support for evidence-based policymaking. The initiative also aligns with the African Union's Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Making SoilHive open source marks the first step in its evolution as a global soil data platform. The platform's core capabilities are now openly available, with federation functionality and additional features planned as organisations around the world adopt, contribute to and help shape SoilHive.

To mark the launch, Varda Foundation will host a live webinar on Thursday 20th August, bringing together industry experts to explore how open, interoperable soil data can accelerate soil health across Africa and beyond. Register here: https://luma.com/ej0amtag.

ENDS

About Varda Foundation

The Varda Foundation accelerates collaboration across the agriculture industry to build a nature-positive food system. By improving how data is discovered and shared, it helps farmers, businesses and policymakers make better decisions for people and the planet. The company’s vision is to make farm and field data a key ingredient for resilient food systems, allowing industry stakeholders to collaborate more effectively and broadening the adoption of regenerative farming practices. Through the widespread use of SoilHive and Global FieldID, the Varda Foundation’s goal is to bring together forward-looking companies, farmers and other industry institutions that share its aspiration for a more sustainable, resilient, and transparent food ecosystem.

Roseanna Lane
CommsCo
+44 7770 239888
rlane@thecommsco.com