In many of Kenya's rice-growing communities, rice husks have long been treated as waste. Left in heaps after milling, they often become an environmental challenge with little perceived value.
For Vincent Odhiambo, those discarded husks represented something entirely different—an opportunity.
As the founder of Victoria AgriTech, Vincent has developed an innovative way of converting rice husks into biochar—a soil amendment he further fortifies into organic fertiliser. What began as an idea to address agricultural waste has grown into a thriving enterprise that is improving soil health, creating jobs, and contributing to a cleaner environment.
Today, the business has created employment for more than 20 young people, directly and indirectly, while providing farmers with a sustainable soil amendment that supports healthier crop production.
"When I started, I simply wanted to find a better use for rice husks. Today, that idea has grown into a business that is creating jobs, improving soils, and showing that agricultural waste can become a valuable resource," Vincent says
Vincent's work is also changing perceptions within his community. Farmers are increasingly recognising that what was once considered waste can be transformed into a product that benefits both agriculture and the environment.
The innovation has been strengthened through research. Working with Egerton University, the R4ICSA-II project supported trials to evaluate the performance of the biochar-based organic fertiliser on rice, coffee, and other crops. The results are helping build evidence for the adoption of circular economy solutions that improve soil health while reducing agricultural waste.
For Vincent, the impact extends well beyond his business.
"This journey has transformed my life. It has given me opportunities to share my work at international conferences and connect with people from around the world. But what makes me happiest is seeing my community benefit—from the young people we've employed to the farmers whose lives are improving through this innovation," he adds
According to Anthony Mugambi, Project Lead, Vincent's story reflects the broader vision of the project.
Placeholder quote – Anthony Mugambi, Project Lead:
"Through the R4ICSA-II project, we are demonstrating that agricultural waste is not a liability but a valuable resource. By supporting innovations like Vincent's, we're helping transform rice production in Kenya and Uganda through circular economy approaches that reduce waste, improve soil health, create green jobs, and build more resilient food systems. This is the kind of locally driven innovation that will shape the future of climate-smart agriculture."
Vincent's journey is one of many stories emerging from the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Rice Initiative for Climate-Smart Agriculture (R4ICSA-II), which is implemented in Kenya and Uganda with funding from the IKEA Foundation. By bringing together farmers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and the private sector, the project is demonstrating how innovation can turn agricultural waste into opportunity—strengthening livelihoods, restoring soils, and building more resilient food systems for the future.