Advances in rapid, low cost analysis of soil samples using infrared spectroscopy, georeferencing of soil samples, and greater availability of earth remote sensing data provide new opportunities for predicting soil functional properties at unsampled locations. Soil functional properties are those properties related to a soil’s capacity to support essential ecosystem services such as primary productivity, nutrient and water retention, and resistance to soil erosion. Digital mapping of soil functional properties, especially in data sparse regions such as Africa, is important for planning sustainable agricultural intensification and natural resources management.