By Caroline Mwendwa
Regenerative farming in Makueni County has unlocked the potential of agriculture, creating not only a surplus for home consumption in areas where food scarcity was prevalent but also opening agribusiness opportunities for small-scale farmers.
ENVIU in collaboration with Biovision Africa Trust, launched the regenerative project in Makueni County in 2022. Three years later, families have experienced a transformation in nutrition and an improved standard of living as they venture into various agribusinesses.
“We have trained over 150 farmers in the County to reclaim their forsaken lands by adopting technologies that harvest water and conserve it within the farm, diversifying crops, doing mulching and cover cropping, recycling plant residue back into the soil, making manures and plant teas, as well as practicing integrated pest management, to increase their yield while reducing cost of production” says John Mutisya from Biovision Africa Trust.
Having witnessed how regenerative farming has improved livelihoods, ENVIU established two private entities, Halisi Gro and Zawiri Foods, to continue the mission of enrolling more farmers into regenerative agriculture, offering training, providing organic farm inputs, and linking farmers to markets. This holistic approach of transforming communities is paying in leaps and bounds, and more farmers are abandoning conventional farming and shifting to regenerative
agriculture.
“As ENVIU, we realized that sometimes farmers are limited from adopting the new technologies due to the inaccessibility of bio inputs, and the lack of market for the produce once harvested,” says Mark Nzivo from Zawiri Foods.
To close this gap, Zawiri Foods and Halisi Gro supply farmers with the bio inputs required, such as seeds for varieties of crops they desire to grow, especially those with already established markets, as well as biopesticides and post-harvest bags that they need in managing pests,” he says. Halisi Gro provides extension services to the farmer, ensuring they get the specialist advice required to produce maximum yields. This comes at a low fee of about Ksh 200 per farmer, which is paid once. This support extends to the marketing of the produce through Zawiri Foods, a company that takes on produce, specifically herbs, from farmers.“Herbs are a short-cycle crop, that guarantees farmers a monthly income, once a reliable market is identified,” says Nzivo. That is why, Zawiri Foods, in collaboration with Halisi Gro, under ENVIU Project, supports small-scale farmers who have been trained on regenerative agriculture, to integrate perennial herbs such as lemon grass, chillies, lemon thyme, oregano, and sage, into their farms, for increased diversity and short-cycle incomes,” he explains. They sell the seeds to farmers and support them in production. Once the harvest is ready, Zawiri Foods buys it all at an agreed-upon price.
“As ENVIU, we realized that sometimes farmers are limited from adopting the new technologies due to the inaccessibility of bio inputs, and the lack of market for the produce once harvested “
Nicholus Mutisya, a farmer from Harambee Village, in Mavindini Ward, Makueni County, is a beneficiary of this project. In his four-acre piece of land, Mutisya grows maize, beans, cowpeas, green grams, mangoes, oranges, and pixies. He met Halisi Gro in 2024 as part of the Muusine Fruit Growers Group. “What drew me to working with Halisi Gro and Zawiri Foods is their value chain approach that avails farm inputs, including seedlings, post-harvest bags, extension services, and linkage to markets,” he says.
Mutisya was selected for the program because he has a waterpan into which he harvests water that can last him all year-round.He underwent training on herb production for three months, and bought 70 plants of lemon grass, to start with. “The advantage of growing lemon grass is that in the first season, it takes 3 months to harvest, and on harvesting, more seedlings spring up. Following the first harvest, consequent harvesting is done monthly, creating regular income, at an increasing rate,” he says. Nzivo explains that the lifespan of lemon grass, once planted, is 3 years. Since he started producing herbs, Mutisya has harvested the grass four times. On an eighth of an acre, he now has 800 lemon grass plants.
“The first season, I harvested 5 Kg, the second season, 11.5 Kg, the third season 23.5 Kg, and the fourth season, 30 Kg,” he says, further explaining that once the plant is cut, more sprout, continuously increasing yield per season.
Once the lemon grass is harvested, Zawiri Foods team comes to pick the produce from the farm. “I sell the lemon grass at Ksh100 per kilogramme. Last season I made Ksh3,000, and next month I am targeting to harvest 50-75 Kg of lemon grass,” he says.
With the growing income, Mutisya is motivated to increase the number of plants mainly because all that is required for a good yield is watering the plants regularly. “Whenever I encounter a challenge, I communicate with Halisi Gro officer, who comes to offer agronomical advice,” he says. He is currently growing seedlings for additional perennial herbs including chilies, oregano and sage.
“With sustained market, these short-term crops are ideal as they offer guaranteed income on a monthly basis, which goes into paying school fees and catering for other household needs.”
The Kyambuu Self-Help Group, comprising 16 farmers in Makueni County, has successfully integrated regenerative farming practices into its operations. They have been trained in these techniques and now grow a diverse range of crops, incorporating herbs, particularly lemon grass, for sale at the market. . “We are lucky to be among those supported by Halisi Gro in the adoption of regenerative agriculture,” says Laban Mutunga, the chairperson of the group. Since we began this farming method, Halisi Gro has been instrumental in connecting us with biopesticides. The lead farmer of the group is the custodian of commonly used biopesticides and post-harvest bags, which are key in ensuring we remain faithful to growing crops organically,” he says. Before this intervention we used to apply chemicals to manage pests, and preserve farm produce post-harvest. But now, we have safe products within our reach, and in affordable prices,” he says.
The group is passionate about regenerative farming, having been trained on how to make compost manure, bokashi, and plant tea, fertilizers that they use in place of synthetic fertilizers. “Eight members are committed to the course, and each has registered for services with Halisi Gro, with Ksh 200 to show commitment.” All eight registered members have dug swales to harvest water runoff during the rainy season, and established smile berms and planting pits, on which they grow diverse crops. Mutunga, the group leader, exemplifies what regenerative agriculture can achieve. “Growing crops using these technologies has proven to be highly effective as we only dig the swales, smile berms, and planting pits once. After harvesting, they remain, and to enrich the soil, crop residue from mulch, cover crop, and stalks is left to decompose, in readiness for planting the following season,” he says. In the first season after adopting regenerative farming on a quarter-acre piece of land, Mutunga harvested 135 Kgs of beans and 180 Kgs of maize. From the same piece of land, he harvested tomatoes worth Ksh18,000 and cabbage worth Ksh12,000.
Eight members are committed to the course, and each has registered for services with Halisi Gro, with Ksh 200 to show commitment
All members of the Kyambuu Self Help Group are linked with Zawiri Foods and have a seedbed of herbs which they are multiplying for sharing amongst themselves. On average, each member has 200 plants of lemon grass, which will multiply progressively.
Zawiri Foods is collaborating with 40 farmers in herb production and marketing in Makueni County, targeting those who have already established water harvesting and conservation practices, as water is a key factor in herb production. After being taken from the farm, the herbs are solar-dried and sold to manufacturers such as spice industries and large-scale buyers, including supermarkets and restaurants.
The many opportunities presented by this initiative in improving livelihoods in Makueni County demonstrate that with the proper knowledge and linkage to essential services, farmers can maximize benefits from their farms.
Caroline Mwendwa is the TOF Magazine Project Officer. Email address: Cmwendwa@biovisionafrica.org