Drought Resilience and Soil Health through AE Practices in Kenyan Smallholder Farming

Lead Organization:

ETH Zurich

Partner Organizations:

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); Embu University; Farm Africa

Community of Practice:

East & Southern Africa

Countries:

Kenya

Duration:

12/2024—12/2027

Overview:

Escalating climate challenges pose a significant threat to global food security. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where most smallholder farming systems rely on rainfed agriculture, the challenges are exacerbated by erratic rainfall and rising temperatures, leading to decreased soil moisture retention and diminished crop productivity. Like many smallholder farmers in SSA, farmers in Embu County have over the decades engaged in continuous cultivation with little nutrient inputs and minimal crop diversity, resulting in poor soil structure, increased soil-borne pathogens, and poor crop performance. This makes them more susceptible to the effects of climate change. Regenerative agroecological farming practices (AEFP) promise to mitigate these effects by improving soil fertility, storing soil carbon, reducing nitrous oxide emissions, and thus bolstering the climate resilience of smallholder farmers. However, detailed studies of their effectiveness in climate change mitigation and adaptation at the smallholder level are lacking. This project thus aims to compare promising AEFP in the specific contexts of the Machanga and Embu regions in Central Kenya, which are both affected by increasing climate variability (flash floods, prolonged droughts, and unpredictable rainfall) because of climate change.

This project seeks to work collaboratively with local farmers and align with agricultural researchers and extension officers from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Embu University, and Farm Africa, leveraging existing knowledge and infrastructure. It builds on local long-term research experiments and aims to bring promising AEFP from these experiments to the smallholder farms. The AEFP include the use of organic resources like farmyard manure, which substantially increases soil organic carbon (SOC) levels and maize productivity compared to no-input systems (Laub et al., 2023a, b) and the MBILI system, which involves cereal-legume intercropping (with strip rotation). Mucheru-Muna et al. (2010) and Ngetich et al. (2014) demonstrated that MBILI can significantly increase yields both under conditions of ample and inadequate rainfall in Central Kenya. These and other AEFP have been recently established in long-term experiments in Embu and Machanga (Laub et al., 2024). Therefore, these trials represent an ideal baseline to scale AEFP to adjacent smallholder systems, due to their local availability and effectiveness. This project aims at empowering farmers to test and take up selected AEFP on their farms and to provide training on effective management of farmyard manure, integrating Biological Nitrogen Fixing (BNF) legumes to provide nitrogen-rich root material and crop residues for soil incorporation, which improves water retention and may reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions.

Therefore, the project proposes to co-select two AEFP from the existing long-term trials to be employed in farmers’ fields. It will investigate how these AEFP can enhance SOC pools, affect N2O emissions, improve soil moisture retention, enhance crop productivity, with the goals to mitigate climate change and to reduce its impacts on smallholder farmers. This project will also assess impacts of the AEFP compared to conventional farmer practices. By this, we aim to offer actionable insights that could influence future agricultural practices and policies in climate-vulnerable regions, ultimately contributing to the broader goal of sustainable development and climate resilience in agriculture.

Grant Aims:

The project aims to:

  1. Evaluate the effectiveness of regenerative agroecological practices in improving soil health and drought resilience in smallholder farming systems.
  2. Enhance farmers’ capacity to implement AEFP and manage farm resources effectively.
  3. Improve crop productivity, yield stability, and soil health in climate-vulnerable farming systems.
  4. Generate scientific evidence to influence agricultural practices and policies for climate resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Outputs and Outcomes:

Outputs

  1. Training Sessions for Farmers
    Farmers will be trained in implementing AEFP such as farmyard manure application and integrating legumes into their farming systems. This will aim to increase diversity, promote nitrogen fixation, and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers, boosting productivity and yield stability under climate change.
  2. Farmyard Manure Management Training
    Farmers will receive training on effective farmyard manure management, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve soil organic carbon (SOC) formation, soil biodiversity, and crop performance.
  3. Research Baby Trials
    20 research baby trials will be established over four seasons. These trials will serve as practical demonstration sites where farmers can learn firsthand about AEFP and observe their impact on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
  4. Knowledge Dissemination and Scientific Publications
    The project will produce scientific publications and MSc theses, including at least three publications, sharing insights on AEFP effectiveness in smallholder farming systems and their contribution to climate resilience.

Outcomes

  1. Increased Capacity to Implement AEFP
    Farmers will acquire the skills and knowledge to implement AEFP, leading to enhanced soil fertility, better crop yields, and improved adaptation to climate change.
  2. Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Manure Management
    By improving farmyard manure management, the project will reduce emissions and increase SOC, enhancing soil health and overall farm productivity.
  3. Enhanced Soil Health and Crop Productivity
    AEFP will improve soil moisture retention, boost soil biodiversity, and enhance crop performance, particularly in maize and groundnut production, ultimately contributing to food security and nutritional outcomes.
  4. Increased Financial Empowerment of Farmers
    Farmers will learn effective bookkeeping techniques, enhancing their ability to manage finances in an uncertain climate, leading to greater financial stability and resilience.
  5. Scientific Evidence for AEFP Adoption
    The research baby trials will provide evidence of the suitability and benefits of AEFP for smallholder systems, supporting advocacy for AEFP adoption beyond the project’s direct participants.