Promoting Conservation Agriculture to Improve Land Productivity and Profitability among Smallholder Farmers in Western Kenya

Overview

The report, prepared by the African Network for Soil Biology and Fertility (AfNet) of the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of CIAT (TSBF-CIAT) and supported by Kilimo Trust, outlines the project aimed at promoting conservation agriculture (CA) to improve land productivity and profitability among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya. The project focused on increasing awareness, adoption, and adaptation of CA practices to enhance soil health, crop yields, and environmental sustainability.

Project Goals and Objectives

• Goal: Improve smallholder food security and income while enhancing ecosystem health through the adoption of conservation agriculture.
• Specific Objectives:
  1. Build multidisciplinary teams to evaluate socio-economic and policy constraints and opportunities for CA adoption.
  2. Screen appropriate legumes for integration into CA systems.
  3. Develop, test, adapt, and demonstrate various CA practices.
  4. Develop agro-enterprises and build capacity for CA application.
  5. Develop mechanisms for payment for environmental services (PES) to smallholder farmers.

Key Achievements

1. Awareness and Capacity Building:
   • Created awareness of CA among 4,500 households.
   • Trained over 1,200 farmers on CA principles.
   • Identified maize-soybean rotation and maize-desmodium intercrop as preferred CA technologies.
2. Legume Integration:
   • Screened and evaluated legumes for CA systems.
   • Promoted soybean and desmodium as effective cover crops.
3. CA Practices Testing and Adaptation:
   • Established mother-baby trial approach for CA demonstration.
   • Achieved higher maize yields in CA plots compared to conventional plots.
   • Trained artisans to fabricate CA tools and supported farmer groups for collective action.
4. Agro-Enterprise Development:
   • Linked farmers to credit institutions for input access.
   • Developed a business model for CA implementation.
5. Environmental Impact:
   • Demonstrated the benefits of CA in improving soil health and reducing erosion.
   • Promoted sustainable farming practices to enhance environmental services.

Challenges and Opportunities

• Challenges:
  • Lack of affordable CA implements and inputs.
  • Labour constraints and weed management issues.
  • Limited access to credit and market linkages.
• Opportunities:
  • Strengthening local fabrication of CA tools.
  • Enhancing farmer training and extension services.
  • Developing strategic partnerships for input supply and market access.

Future Plans

• Scaling Up:
  • Expand CA practices to more smallholder farmers.
  • Promote policy dialogue to support CA adoption.
  • Develop frameworks for action to extrapolate project results to other regions.

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