How AICCRA and ACTN are Scaling Climate Smart Farming in Kenya

How AICCRA And ACTN Are Scaling Climate Smart Farming In Kenya

By Peter Kuria, Esther Nzuki, Saidi Mkomwa, Liz Ogutu, Alex Nduah, Boaz Waswa

The Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) core mission is to make CGIAR’s cutting-edge climate research and innovations accessible to millions across Africa, thereby enhancing food security through climate-smart agriculture. The African Conservation Tillage Network (ACTN), a leader in promoting sustainable land management, brings deep expertise and on-the-ground networks in implementing conservation agriculture (CA) practices, such as minimal soil disturbance (ripping, direct seeding), permanent soil cover (mulching, cover crops, residue retention), and crop diversification.

Saidi Mkomwa, ACTN
Public-Private-People Partnerships and research tailored to local conditions can drive innovation and make technologies more affordable and relevant. By combining these efforts, AICCRA and ACTN can empower the agricultural sector to embrace CA, boosting productivity, sustainability, and global competitiveness

This synergy aligns perfectly with global imperatives, such as the UNFCCC's Adaptation Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063, which prioritize climate-resilient agriculture as a cornerstone of sustainable development. Together, AICCRA and ACTN are translating global climate adaptation ambitions into tangible action at the farm level.

From theory to field: scaling climate-smart solutions

The partnership’s impact is unfolding through a multi-pronged, farmer-centric approach:

Demonstrating success: Five strategically placed demonstration sites are serving as living classrooms. Here, farmers witness first-hand the multiple benefits of CA, including reduced labour input and drudgery, better crop yields despite climate stresses arising from improved soil moisture retention, and enhanced soil health and fertility for the subsequent crops. The “living classrooms” provide an opportunity for farmers to learn by doing and believing by seeing the different CA-crop management operations for each crop stage. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation, provides crucial data on performance.

Unlocking soil health: Soil analysis revealed a critical challenge: widespread acidity (pH 4.6-6.6) and deficiencies in nitrogen, organic carbon, and zinc across sites. This diagnosis informed concrete solutions being actively promoted: targeted liming, significant application of organic manure, and the use of blended fertilizers. Addressing soil health is fundamental to building long-term resilience and productivity. Ripping helps break the hard pan, allowing plant roots to reach deeper levels and access soil moisture. This is in contrast to shallow roots in ploughed land, which are hindered by the hard pan from accessing stored soil moisture in the lower soil levels.

Empowering with information: Knowledge is a key climate adaptation tool. ACTN has established dedicated farmer WhatsApp groups linked to county meteorological services, delivering timely climate information to farmers in Tharaka Nithi, Makueni and Murang'a. This allows farmers to make informed decisions on optimal timing for planting, harvesting, and managing climate risks. Efforts continue to bridge the digital divide for groups like the older farmers in the Ithanga community who lack access to smartphones.

Figure 1: The youth are at the forefront of CA adoption in Tharaka Nithi County. Above, Mercy Ciampui adopted minimum tillage and cover crop practices

Building bridges for support & markets

Recognizing that technology adoption requires an enabling ecosystem, the project actively links farmers to essential services:

Service providers: Farmers are connected to service providers offering mechanized ripping, precision seeding, and spraying, reducing labor burdens and improving efficiency.
Knowledge partners: Collaboration with institutions such as Meru National Polytechnic, Chuka University, Muranga University and county youth Agri-preneurs provides vital business and technical guidance.
Input suppliers: Partnerships with suppliers (Green Life, Corteva, Yara, BASF, and local agrovets) ensure access to quality seeds and appropriate inputs.
Markets: Integration with aggregators and the broader CA Hub Kenya network https://cahubkenya.act-africa.org is creating pathways for farmers to reach profitable markets.
Investing in people: Beyond practices, the project focuses on human capacity. Lead farmers and extension staff are being trained to supervise the adoption of CA, collect data, and support their communities. Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) training ensures practices are sustainable and equitable, with farmers in Muranga and Tharaka Nithi already planting beneficial cover crops as a result. Sensitizing new groups in Makueni further expands the reach.

Figure 2: Very encouraging case study of food security of a CA adopter (Paul Irungu) with crops at various stages this season - Harvested crop as shown on the right bottom, cobbing stage on the left and ready to replant on the harvested plot (right)

Overcoming hurdles, driving adoption

Scaling innovation requires addressing real-world constraints. ACTN and farmers are co-developing a subsidy program to incentivise CA adopters on cover crops and mechanization services. The “Pay for Mechanization Services to unlock 50% Reimbursement” or “Plant half an acre of approved cover crops to unlock 50% Reimbursement” program aims to reduce the financial burden and motivate CA adoption by rural farmers. These sustainability rewards can foster trust and enhance adoption. Early results are promising, with 401 farmers already benefitting in the three counties. Farmers are actively engaged in cover cropping, residue retention, ripping, and direct seeding – clear signs of growing buy-in on adoption. This grassroots adoption is the ultimate measure of the partnership's success. Some of the success stories and testimonials from farmers are captured subsequently.