Agroecology can save Kenya’s food systems —let’s scale it up now

Kenya is at a crossroads. Our food systems are under immense strain, driven by a convergence of climate-induced shocks, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and persistent rural poverty.

According to the 2024 Food and Nutrition Security Assessment, 2.15 million Kenyans in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) require food assistance—a figure projected to rise to 2.8 million by mid-2025 if systemic interventions are not urgently adopted.

These alarming trends compel us to reaffirm the transformative power of agroecology, a people-centred, knowledge-rich, and ecologically grounded approach to food production and land management. Agroecology restores dignity to smallholder farmers, rebuilds the health of our soils and ecosystems, and promotes food sovereignty while strengthening local economies.

Those of us in the movement have witnessed firsthand how farmer-led agroecological innovations can regenerate degraded soils, enhance biodiversity, and build climate resilience. Our member organisations, working across Kenya’s diverse ecological zones, promote practices such as cover cropping, mixed farming, seed saving, composting, and agroforestry—techniques deeply rooted in local knowledge and cultural traditions.

Soil health

One of the foundational pillars of agroecology is soil health. Unsustainable agricultural practices, including heavy use of synthetic inputs and monocropping, have left our soils depleted and vulnerable. But when farmers adopt regenerative practices—like crop rotation, organic soil amendments, and intercropping—the results are transformational. Such approaches have led to increased yields, better water retention, and improved food security even in the face of unpredictable climate patterns.

Agroecology also offers practical solutions to the rising costs of agricultural inputs. By reducing dependency on expensive and environmentally harmful chemicals, farmers can lower production costs while improving the quality and nutritional value of their harvests.

Economic vulnerability remains a key challenge for rural households. Agroecological farming, with its emphasis on diversified livelihoods, provides multiple income streams—through mixed cropping, livestock integration, and value addition. Through our training programmes and farmer field schools, communities can build economic resilience while maintaining ecological integrity.

Crucially, agroecology is not a one-size-fits-all solution imposed from above. It is co-created with farmers, drawing on their lived experiences and indigenous knowledge systems.

Without long-term land rights, however, smallholder farmers are less likely to invest in regenerative practices. There is, therefore, need for land reforms that guarantee equitable access to and control over land, especially for historically marginalised communities. Addressing tenure insecurity is not just a legal or an economic issue—it is a prerequisite for ecological transformation and food sovereignty.

Agroecological transition

The agroecological transition cannot be achieved by farmers alone. It requires coordinated action across government, civil society, academia, and the private sector. We urge policymakers to integrate agroecology into national development and climate resilience strategies. Investments in research, infrastructure, extension services, and market access must prioritise farmer-led innovations and indigenous knowledge systems.

We also need increased public and private funding to support agroecological enterprises. This includes access to credit, insurance, and targeted subsidies that incentivise sustainable practices. Agroecology practitioners have piloted innovative finance models—from community seed banks to cooperative marketing schemes—that can be scaled with the right support. At the regional level, there is an urgent need for knowledge exchange and policy harmonisation across African countries.

As we navigate the overlapping crises of food insecurity, environmental degradation, and economic instability, agroecology offers a viable, inclusive, and scalable solution. And the time to act is now. The scaling up of agroecology needs all hands on deck – policymakers, development partners, and the private sector. The upcoming National Agroecology Symposium in Nairobi (July 10–11) presents a key moment for bold commitments, including on the implementation of the National Agroecology Strategy for Food System Transformation, 2024-2033.

This strategy aims to make Kenya’s food system more inclusive and enabling, supporting the sustainable livelihoods for all stakeholders, including smallholder farmers, by providing opportunities for economic growth and social equity. It also promotes environmentally sustainable practices that conserve natural resources, reduce pollution, and protect biodiversity and a resilient food system that can withstand climate change, economic shocks, and other challenges.

 Ms Mbenya is the Country Coordinator, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Kenya, the lead convener of the 2nd National Agroecology Conference which runs on 10th and 11th of July 2025 at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies. PELUM Kenya is organising the symposium in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Porticus, GIZ Kenya, WRI Africa, CIFOR-ICRAF, World Animal Protection, Biovision Foundation, APHRC, Act for Change, Biovision Africa Trust, Hivos, Action Aid Kenya, SNV, BIBA Kenya among other partners.