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The Promise of Regenerative Agriculture: Harnessing Agroforestry and Nitrogen-Fixing Wood Crops

July 17 2022 I News and Views

Regenerative agriculture, seen by some as an innovation in farming, is gaining momentum as a solution to enhance sustainability and resilience in agriculture. A recent publication by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) sheds light on the potential of agroforestry and nitrogen-fixing wood crops in Africa, offering valuable insights into how these practices can revolutionise agricultural systems and contribute to environmental sustainability.

Agroforestry, the integration of trees and shrubs into agricultural landscapes, presents numerous benefits. According to IRENA, this practice not only improves soil health and biodiversity but also enhances the productivity of crops. By providing shade, reducing soil erosion, and increasing water retention, agroforestry systems create more resilient agricultural environments. This approach supports the regeneration of degraded lands, fosters biodiversity, and helps to sequester carbon, making it a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.

Another promising aspect of regenerative agriculture highlighted in the IRENA report is the use of nitrogen-fixing wood crops. These plants have the unique ability to improve soil fertility by converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by other plants. This process reduces the need for synthetic fertilisers, which can be both costly and environmentally harmful. By incorporating nitrogen-fixing trees into farming systems, farmers can enhance soil fertility naturally, leading to more sustainable and productive agricultural practices.

Eastern African Promise

Farmers in East Africa are making the choice of adopting this approach of agriculture, in combination with new technologies and organic inputs to improve crop yields and replenish soils. This renewed understanding of the interplay between soil health and healthy yields is enabling the transition to sustainable agricultural practices and policy in the region.

The Relevance of Realms

Regenerative agriculture, a holistic land management practice, aims to restore soil health, increase biodiversity, and improve the water cycle. Given East Africa's susceptibility to climate-induced challenges such as drought and soil erosion, this approach is particularly vital. It promises not only to improve crop yields but also to fortify the very fabric of these agro-ecosystems against future climate adversities.

Mostly, knowledge gaps and evidence of practical examples are some of the barriers that hinder the wider adoption of regenerative farming at the community level.

The REALMS (Regenerative Agricultural Practices for Improved Livelihoods and Markets) project, funded by the IKEA Foundation and implemented by SNV along with local partners in Rwanda and Kenya, serves as a pioneering model in this regard. The project promotes the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices such as reducing the use of chemical fertilisers, integrated pest management, and setting soil and water conservation to stop erosion.

Stephen Nginya Mwangi, a Kenyan farmer and facilitator at a Farmer Field School, echoes Irene’s sentiment and is convinced of the sustainability of this farming technique, ‘since implementing the techniques learned at the farmer field school, I have witnessed remarkable improvements on my farm, particularly in avocado production. Not only have I achieved higher yields but saw an improvement in soil quality. By producing my own inputs such as compost and bokashi, I reduced the cost of production and am making extra income by selling bokashi to fellow farmers and offering services to produce it for others.'

The Regenerative Agricultural practices for improved Livelihoods and Markets (REALMS) is a four-year € 6M project funded by the IKEA Foundation and ARIA. Implemented by SNV, the project aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Kenya and Rwanda. The project started in November 2020 and concludes in October 2024. To date, the project has established over 50 farmer field schools in the region and has been training around 10,000 farmers in regenerative agriculture techniques to combat soil erosion through agroforestry, terracing and conservation.