Regenerative Agriculture in Kenya

Transforming Ecosystems for Climate-Resilient Food Production

2nd Dryland Agriculture and Food Systems Conference
June 17-18, 2025 | Dr. Abednego Kiwia

🌍

Building Resilient Food Systems

Transforming smallholder agriculture across Kenya through proven regenerative practices that restore ecosystems while increasing productivity.

120K+ Farmers Empowered

90%+ Adoption Rate

1.25M Trees Planted

5.27 Return on Investment

Executive Summary

Key Achievements & Impact

120,060 Farmers Empowered

635 Village Business Advisors

1.25M Trees Planted

90%+ Farmer Adoption Rate

🎯 Proven Results

Manure + Microdose + Mulch delivers highest yields and economic returns
BCR of 5.27 for sorghum in Kitui County
Significant yield increases across all RA practices vs. farmer practice

📈 Higher Yields
40-90% increase vs traditional

🌱 Soil Health
Improved retention & fertility

💧 Water Conservation
Better moisture retention

The Challenge

Kenya's Agricultural Reality

🚨 A Sector Under Pressure

70% Rural employment dependent on agriculture

25% Population undernourished

1.6% Growth in 2022 (drought impact)

🌡️ Climate Vulnerability

70%+ of natural disasters are climate-related
Kenya ranks 41st globally in climate vulnerability
1.1 million additional people projected into poverty by 2050

Climate-related disaster frequency

Food Security Crisis

Regional Vulnerability Patterns

📍 Geographic Vulnerability

🔴 Crisis Areas
Northern counties most affected
October 2023

🟡 Stressed Regions
Central & Eastern counties
Dec 2023 - Jan 2024

🟢 Improved Areas
Southern regions recovering
Feb - May 2024

📈 Recovery Trend
Crisis → Stressed → Minimal
Positive trajectory

The Solution

Regenerative Agriculture Principles

🌱 What is Regenerative Agriculture?

A farming system that rehabilitates and enhances entire farm ecosystems by prioritizing soil health and integrating conservation practices.

🚜

1. Minimize Soil Disturbance

🍃

2. Keep Soil Covered

🌿

3. Live Plants & Roots

🦋

4. Biodiversity

🐄

5. Integrate Animals

📈 Enhanced Productivity

🌍 Biodiversity Conservation

💧 Water & Carbon Retention

🌡️ Climate Resilience

Implementation

The STRAK Project (2020-2025)

🗺️ Geographic Focus

Embu
298,971 trees planted
HH: 350,000+

Tharaka Nithi
96,275 trees planted
HH: 290,000+

Kitui
214,494 trees planted
HH: 910,000+

Makueni
643,482 trees planted
HH: 1,142,000+

🤝 Key Partnerships

IKEA Foundation - Primary funder
CGA - Cereal Growers Association
Farm Africa - Implementation partner
CIFOR-ICRAF - Research support
County Governments - Policy support

Total Reach: 3.1 million households across target counties

Results

Transformation at Scale

🎯 Over 90% of farmers practicing RA across all four counties

635 Village Business Advisors

35,000+ Demonstration Plots

56,056 Home Gardens

115 On-farm Trials

Economic Impact

Proven Profitability

🌾 Sorghum Results - Kitui County

5.27 Benefit-Cost Ratio

KES 176,182 Net Benefit per hectare

ROI: Every KES 1 invested returns KES 5.27

🥬 Green Grams
40-70% yield increase

🌽 Maize
54-92% yield increase

💰 Economic Returns
BCR 1.39 - 5.27 range

Yield Performance

RA vs Traditional Farming

🏆 Manure + Microdose + Mulch consistently outperforms all other practices

Across all crops and counties, this combination delivers the highest agronomic and economic benefits.

2.5 Max Maize Yield (t/ha)

1.37 Max Sorghum Yield (t/ha)

0.70 Max Green Gram Yield (t/ha)

90%+ Average Yield Increase

Holistic Benefits

Beyond Productivity

🌾 Livestock Feeds
From crop residues

🔥 Fuel Wood
From agroforestry

💊 Reduced Chemicals
Through integrated pest management

🥗 Enhanced Nutrition
Through kitchen gardens

💧 Water Conservation
Better soil moisture retention

🌱 Soil Health
Reduced erosion & degradation

Digital Innovation

Technology for Scale

📱 VBA Digital Readiness

85%+ VBAs have smartphones

Kitui
93% smartphone ownership

Makueni
90% smartphone ownership

Tharaka Nithi
86% smartphone ownership

Embu
84% smartphone ownership

📵 Farmer Digital Divide

                            Challenge: 50% of farmers lack smartphones

                            Opportunity: VBA-mediated technology transfer

Critical Challenges

Barriers to Scale

👥 Youth Engagement Crisis

12% Youth farmer participation

11% Youth VBA participation

Risk: Aging agricultural workforce threatens sustainability

🚧 Systemic Barriers

Water scarcity limiting kitchen garden expansion
Inadequate certified seed supply during planting seasons
Insufficient VBA coverage for large farmer populations
Limited record-keeping (60-70% don't keep records)
Low bio-fertilizer adoption despite benefits
High input costs reducing net benefits

Key Insights

What Works & Why

📍 Context Matters
Different counties need different optimal practices

💰 Economic Optimization
Manure + Microdose + Mulch offers best results

📈 Scalability Factors
VBA model essential for sustainable extension

🎯 Success Formula
                            Embu & Tharaka-Nithi:

                            Focus on farmyard manure + crop rotation
                        
                            Kitui & Makueni:

                            Emphasize intercropping + cover crops

🔬 Technical Optimization
Context-specific combinations maximize benefits

🤝 Partnership Model
County government + private sector essential

📊 Data-Driven Approach
Continuous monitoring improves outcomes

👨‍🌾 Farmer-Centric Design
Economic viability drives adoption

Lessons Learned

Building for Scale

🎓 Extension System Innovation

VBA sustainability requires multiple revenue streams
Private sector partnerships essential for viability
Digital tools can bridge extension gaps
Regular monitoring maintains service quality

🌱 Farmer Adoption Drivers

Visible demonstrations accelerate uptake
Context-specific practices improve success
Economic viability drives sustained adoption
Peer-to-peer learning most effective

🏛️ Policy & Institutional Support
                            County Policies

                            Critical for scaling
                        
                            Subsidies

                            Accelerate high-cost practice adoption
                        
                            Youth Programs

                            Needed for sector sustainability
                        
                            Training

                            Record-keeping improves management

Strategic Recommendations

Roadmap for Scale

🚀 Immediate (12 Months)
• Expand VBA network
• Launch youth programs
• Develop digital tools
• Establish seed distribution

🎯 Medium-term (2-3 Years)
• Scale water infrastructure
• Develop bio-fertilizer chains
• Create financial products
• Establish training centers

🌟 Long-term (5+ Years)
• Mainstream RA in curricula
• Develop carbon credit systems
• Create knowledge hubs
• Establish certification systems

📊 Success Metrics
• Youth participation: 30%
• Smartphone adoption: 70%
• Bio-fertilizer use: 40%
• Record-keeping: 60%

🤝 Partnership Strategy
                            Private Sector

                            Sustainable VBA model
                        
                            Government

                            Policy & subsidy support
                        
                            Development Partners

                            Scaling investments
                        
                            Research Institutions

                            Continuous innovation

Policy Integration

Government Commitment

🏛️ Policy Success Stories

                            All four STRAK counties developed:

                            • Integrated Development Plans

                            • Climate Change Action Plans

                            • RA-aligned strategies

🤝 FOLU Kenya Partnership
Supporting context-specific strategy design

🌍 Global Recognition
COP29 participation & leadership

🏆

                            International Impact
                            COP29 Leadership - Active climate conference participation
RA Conference - Raising international awareness
Best Practice Sharing - Knowledge transfer to other African countries
Policy Innovation - Setting standards for RA integration

                        

Investment Priorities

Where to Focus Resources

👥 Youth Engagement Programs

📱 Digital Infrastructure

💧 Water Systems

💰 Financial Products

🎯 Target Outcomes by 2030
Youth Participation: 30%
Smartphone Adoption: 70%
Bio-fertilizer Use: 40%
Record-keeping: 60%

The Opportunity Ahead

Scaling for Transformation

🚀

Regenerative Agriculture offers Kenya:

Climate-resilient food systems
Improved rural livelihoods
Environmental restoration
Sustainable economic growth

3.1M Households Reached

4 Counties Transformed

∞ Scaling Potential

                            The foundation is built.
Now is the time to scale.
                        

Conclusion

Transforming Agriculture for Climate Resilience

✅ Proven Impact

120,060 farmers practicing regenerative agriculture
Significant yield increases across all major crops
Economic viability with BCRs up to 5.27
Ecosystem benefits including soil health

🎯 Critical Success Factors

Context-specific practices tailored locally
Strong extension systems through VBAs
Government policy support at all levels
Private sector partnerships for sustainability

🌍

The Path Forward

Regenerative agriculture is not just farming—it's a transformation pathway
for climate resilience, food security, and sustainable development in Kenya.

🌱 Environmental
Ecosystem restoration

💰 Economic
Improved livelihoods

🏛️ Social
Community resilience

Thank You

Building Resilient Food Systems Together

🌱

AGRA - Sustainably Growing Africa's Food Systems

Building climate-resilient agriculture for sustainable development

🌍 Transforming Agriculture

🤝 Building Partnerships

📈 Scaling Impact

🌟 Creating Future

Questions & Discussion

Dr. Abednego Kiwia | AGRA Kenya