A CALL TO ACTION: EASTERN AFRICA AGROECOLOGY CONFERENCE TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

With the countdown to the 2nd Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference underway, a press briefing in Nairobi today set the stage for a pivotal conversation on the future of agriculture in the region. The gathering brought together key stakeholders, from government officials to researchers and farmers, all united by a shared commitment to agricultural sustainability and the media to create awareness about the issues the conference will be addressing.

The most impassioned speech of the day came from Dr. David Amudavi, Executive Director of Biovision Africa Trust. He pulled no punches in underscoring concerns about the region’s deepening food insecurity and soil degradation.

“Our region continues to face serious agricultural and food security challenges. Despite widespread reliance on chemical fertilizers, soil health continues to deteriorate limiting returns to investment. We must ask ourselves: How can we ensure every household has food on the table? Food is a fundamental right to be neglected!” he declared.

Dr. Amudavi pointed to the vulnerability of Kenya’s food systems, heavily reliant on imported chemical fertilizers. He emphasized the need to champion homegrown solutions to address geopolitical challenges that limit timely access by farmers to chemical inputs.

“The disruptions in global supply chains have shown us that dependency on chemical fertilizers is a ticking time bomb. This conference will highlight locally produced solutions including biofertilizers that can be promoted at scale, reinforcing the ‘Buy Kenya, Build Kenya’ initiative,” he said.

Dr. Amudavi painted a picture of landscapes once green and thriving, now turned barren due to unsustainable farming practices. “The unpredictable weather is no longer just a forecast; it’s a daily reality for our farmers,” he said, emphasizing agroecology as a viable solution to restore soil fertility, improve yields, and protect the environment.

He noted that according to global statistics for the year 2023 more than 3.4 million hectares of farmland were organic in Africa. This is over 2.8 percent of the world’s organic farmland was in Africa. Closer home, Kenya is among the top ten Africa countries with organic agricultural land being over 173,000 hectares and among the top ten countries with highest organic producers with over 63,000 certified organic producers.

Farmers from various counties such as Makueni, Kitui, Kisii, Bungoma, and Nyandarua will share firsthand experiences of how agroecology has transformed their farming practices. “These are real success stories, farmers using organic manure, reducing dependency on chemicals, diversifying their crops, and, most importantly, reclaiming their land’s productivity,” he added.

Dr. David Kamau, KALRO’s Director-Natural Resource Management, painted a sobering picture of Kenya’s food security challenges, yet he remained hopeful about the solutions agroecology presents. He outlined three key strategies under the Presidential Economic Transformation-Agriculture Pillar:

• Strengthening food-secure value chains.
• Increasing export value chains to stabilize the Kenyan shilling.
• Reducing reliance on import-dependent value chains.

“It takes approximately 700 years for a centimeter of soil to form in the tropical region,” he warned, calling for immediate conservation efforts. Dr. Kamau lauded the Agricultural Soil Management Policy and the National Agroecology Strategy for Food System Transformation, asserting that these initiatives will anchor Kenya’s transition to sustainable food systems.

For Ms. Venancia Wambua, Head of Programmes at BvAT and one of the event’s lead organizers, the conference is more than a meeting; it is a movement. She underscored that discussions will be evidence-based, drawing on research and farmer experiences.

“We cannot speak of sustainability without prioritizing investment in research and innovation. Women and youth, as the backbone of our farming communities, must be at the heart of this transformation,” she urged.

The conference will also shine a spotlight on the market ecosystem; helping farmers access financial opportunities, explore value addition, and connect with new markets. But beyond economics, Dr. Amudavi stressed the need for robust policy support.

“If we align our strategies with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, we will unlock real change for small-scale farmers,” he noted.

With the conference just days away, anticipation is building for what could be a defining moment in Eastern Africa’s agricultural landscape. Dr. Amudavi’s closing words left no doubt about the urgency of the moment:

“Let us seize this opportunity to advance sustainable farming, promote agroecology, and ensure a food-secure future for all Kenyans. The time for change is now!”

The 2nd Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference is not just another event; it is a turning point. The decisions made and ideas shared in the coming days will shape the future of agriculture across the region, ensuring resilience, sustainability, and food security for generations to come.

Prepared by Simon Njoroge