SPOTLIGHT
Regenerative Farming Builds Resilience in Eastern Kenya
Climate-smart Agriculture
In the arid and semi-arid lands of eastern Kenya, the STRAK project—a collaboration between IKEA Foundation, AGRA, Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, Cereal Growers Association, Farm Africa, and CIFOR World Agroforestry—is driving a climate-smart transition through regenerative agriculture. Implemented across four counties—Embu, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, and Kitui—the project supports smallholder farmers to adopt climate-smart, sustainable practices that restore soil health, improve productivity, and build long-term resilience.
Regenerative agriculture techniques such as mulching, microdosing, and manure application have significantly boosted yields and profitability for staple crops like sorghum, maize, and green grams. In Tharaka Nithi, for instance, combining manure, mulch, and microdosing nearly tripled sorghum yields compared to traditional practices. In Kitui, the same combination generated a return of KES 5.27 for every KES 1 invested.
More than 90% of surveyed farmers in the region are now practicing regenerative methods. County governments are also stepping up: all four STRAK counties have integrated regenerative agriculture into their climate and development plans, ensuring policy alignment and long-term sustainability.
By tailoring regenerative agriculture practices to local conditions and supporting farmers with policy, training, and input linkages, AGRA and its partners are helping transform agriculture into a resilient, sustainable livelihood—one that withstands shocks and restores landscapes for generations to come.
