Global research team to tackle soil crisis in sub-Saharan Africa

Soil acidification is a major problem across sub–Saharan Africa as it degrades soil structure, reducing crop yields and making farming harder.  

This new project, led by Professor Kislon Voïtchovsky (Physics Department & BSI), brings together physical science and agriculture research and works closely with partners on the ground in sub–Saharan Africa. 

Turning waste into a solution 

The project involves using soft matter approaches and knowledge to the problem of tuning soil acidification, which will reduce its degradation.

The team will create small composite particles using dolomite, which is naturally abundant, and biodegradable biopolymers made from agricultural waste. These are designed to release nutrients slowly and help to stabilise soil acidity. The team will then study how these particles behave and interact within soil and how well they store and release water and nutrients.

Professor Voïtchovsky explained: “We are taking a different approach by focusing on the fundamental physical principles that govern how water, ions, particles and soil structure interact across different scales.  

“By understanding and controlling these mechanisms, we aim to optimise the nutrient and ion release from the particles, overcoming limitations of current treatments and enabling low-cost soil treatments tailored to specific environments.” 

Building skills and strong partnerships 

The project also aims to build a strong research network between the UK and Africa to support early career physical science researchers in Kenya and South Africa.  

The team includes researchers from the University of Edinburgh, UK, Stellenbosch University in South Africa, the University of Embu and the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), both in Kenya. 

The project has secured funding from the UK Government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) through the International Science Partnerships Fund.

From the red soils of Kenya to the wider fields of sub-Saharan Africa, this initiative shows that the future of farming lies not just in science, but in solutions shaped by local knowledge, materials, and communities turning soil restoration into a pathway for resilience, productivity, and sustainable growth.

Dr Dorah Muthee

Co-investigator, University of Embu, Kenya

Find out more 

• Discover more about the work of Professor Kislon Voitchovsky and Dr Margarita Staykova. 
• Our Department of Physics is ranked joint 67th in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 and third in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2026. Visit our Physics webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.    
• Durham University is ranked 3^rd in the UK for interdisciplinarity in the Times Higher Education University rankings. Learn more about interdisciplinary research at Durham University by visiting the Biophysical Sciences Institute Research webpages.