Blog Finding agroecology in practice on vegetable farms in Kiambu County, Kenya

Many people around the world stereotypically perceive Africa as a dry land with little to no hope. But for local dwellers in Kenya, what comes to mind when they hear of Kiambu County is the green agricultural landscape with cash crops such as tea and coffee, large pineapple farms, towering greenhouses in flower farms, buzzing trade hubs and agricultural markets. Read on to learn how we discovered people who were unknowingly applying agroecological principles and how the growing adoption of these principles underscores the transformative potential of sustainable farming approaches in the green leafy vegetables value chain in Kenya.

Authors: Kevin Onyango, Solomon Mugambi, Rosina Wanyama, Aurillia Ndiwa, Peter Bolo, and Christine Chege.

Kiambu is a major vegetable-producing county in Kenya and one of the main sources of vegetables consumed in the city of Nairobi. The county produces tuberous vegetables such as carrots, bulb and stem vegetables such as onions, pod vegetables such as green peas and French beans, fruity vegetables such as tomatoes, and a range of exotic and Indigenous leafy vegetables. Exotic leafy vegetables produced in Kiambu County include kale, spinach, and lettuce, while amaranth, cowpea leaves, African nightshade, jute mallow, pumpkin leaves and spider plant are some of the most common African leafy vegetables produced in the county.  According to 2022 county reports, Kiambu produced 56,525 tons of kale, 12,366 tons of spinach, 1,042 tons of amaranth and 1,699 tons of African nightshade.

Vegetable production in Kiambu is mainly done by smallholder farmers for both commercial and subsistence purposes, often grown on less than one acre of land per farmer. Vegetables are largely grown under rain-fed conditions. However, small-scale irrigation using watering cans or hand-held pipes is also common, especially in the drier parts of the county. Agroecological practices such as mulching, use of farmyard manure, biopesticides, agroforestry, water recycling and crop rotation are common among leafy vegetable producers in Kiambu. 

Vegetable farmers preparing compost manure. Photo credit: Hezekiah Korir, IITA

Agroecological Living Landscapes in Kiambu

The Agroecological Living Landscapes (ALLs) are geographically bound landscapes in which smallholder farmers, agroecology practitioners, researchers, and other development actors identify, test, and promote agroecological innovations across sectors and scales (Fuchs et al., 2023).  In Kenya, the CGIAR Agroecology Initiative is working on inclusive business models and financing strategies in vegetable value chains in Kiambu ALL to support agroecological transition not only for the leafy vegetable value chain but for food systems within the ALL. Within this framework, the CGIAR Initiative conducted a household survey in 2023 that identified agroecological principles adopted by the farmers, challenges experienced, and areas that needed improvement to support the agroecological transition.

Finding agroecological principles in practice

Our recent agroecological value chain analysis in Kiambu ALL shows that even though most of the leafy vegetable farmers had never heard of the term 'agroecology', many of them applied agroecological practices naturally. The results show that most of the leafy vegetable farmers in Kiambu County have adopted agroecological principles in their farms (Figure 1). Under the principle of recycling, farmers reuse kitchen water for vegetable irrigation, generate biogas from livestock waste and use crop residues for mulching and compost. To reduce external inputs, farmers use rabbit urine as a biofertilizer, incorporate crop residues back into the soil, and use organic manures and biopesticides to reduce the use of both synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. To enhance soil health, farmers are steadily embracing the use of organic inputs in their production, practicing crop rotation, supplementing rainwater with irrigation, intercropping with nitrogen-fixing legumes, planting trees, and using cover crops to reduce soil erosion and induce shades. In addition, farmers are improving biodiversity by keeping different livestock species and ensuring animal health while growing a variety of crops. This is in line with the principle of economic diversification, where farmers sell vegetables and other crop and livestock products to improve and diversify their income sources. 

Agroecological practices adopted by farmers in Kiambu ALL. Graphic Design: Carolina Polo

Vegetable farmers in Kiambu ALL have also embraced agroecological principles such as fairness, by involving everyone regardless  of gender or age in vegetable production and marketing; connectivity, by creating social and trade networks that foster increased production and supply of high-quality vegetables; social values and diets, by participating in events that promote healthy and sustainable diets; knowledge co-creation through participation in training, farmer group meetings and knowledge sharing; synergy, through practices such as the use of rabbit urine as pesticide, the use of crop residues to improve soil fertility, and the use of trees as livestock feed; land and natural resource governance, through the formalization of land tenure; and the participation, through engagement in national and county policy forums and ‘public participation’. Farmers have adopted different combinations of the principles to varying degrees, as shown in Figure 2. For instance, our recent assessment shows that 94% of Kiambu vegetable farmers practice economic diversification while only 33% have adopted the principle of participation.

Status of adoption of agroecology principles among leafy vegetable producers in Kiambu  Source: Authors compilation from 2023 household survey data

The demand for leafy vegetables in Kiambu ALL has been increasing in recent years. The growing interest in these vegetables is largely due to their cultural significance, nutritional value, environmental suitability and economic relevance among producers. Increased awareness of the health benefits of agroecologically produced vegetables and their versatility in food use has contributed to the growing demand among health-conscious consumers. Organizations and programs such as the Community Sustainable Agriculture and Healthy Environmental Program (CSHEP), Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM), and the County Government of Kiambu have conducted activities aimed at raising awareness on different aspects of agroecology, such as agroforestry, permaculture, agrobiodiversity, organic farming, agro-processing and integrated pest management to name a few. As a result, a growing number of farmers are integrating agroecological principles into their production systems, agri-enterprises involved in the vegetable trade are integrating agroecological principles into their businesses, and consumers are creating demand for agroecologically produced vegetables.

The integration of agroecological principles among vegetable farmers in Kiambu ALL has led to significant advances in various aspects of agricultural practices, social engagement, and market dynamics. The growing adoption of these principles underscores the transformative potential of sustainable farming approaches in promoting economic diversification, social inclusion, environmental stewardship, and consumer demand for healthier, locally produced foods. However, efforts are still needed to enhance consumer awareness of the health benefits of agroecological farm products including green leafy vegetables, and to strengthen educational programs to promote sustainable agriculture in Kiambu ALL and beyond.

Based on the results presented above, the Initiative’s researchers - together with partners and stakeholders within the ALL - co-designed interventions across green leafy vegetable value chains to support the extensive adoption of the agroecological principles.

Photo credit header: Beatrice Adoyo, CIFOR-ICRAF. Mulched vegetable production.

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