Blog Mary’s new harvest: How innovation is changing farming in Embu, Kenya
Mary, a smallholder farmer in Runyenjes, Embu, joined GTSTIB pilots to test new seeds, soil tools, and gender dialogues. Her yields and family nutrition improved, empowering her voice in farm decisions and showing why scaling matters.
When Mary - a smallholder farmer in Runyenjes - first heard about Gender Transformative Socio-Technical Innovation Bundles (GTSTIBs) she wasn’t sure what to expect. Farming has always been tough. The rain was unpredictable, seeds were costly, and others made most decisions about what to plant or sell in her household.
Through the pilot program, Mary decided to try something new. She planted improved maize and beans together, tested her soil for the first time, and participated in discussions on how men and women can share farming decisions more equally. She also learned simple but powerful nutrition practices that changed how she cooked for her family.
The impact was immediate. Yields improved. Her children began eating a wider variety of foods. And for the first time, Mary’s voice carried weight in deciding what to plant and how to use the income.
“We are no longer just surviving,” she says with a smile. “We are planning for the future.”
Mary’s experience is not unique. Between 2022 and 2024, hundreds of farmers in Embu County experimented with GTSTIBs. The results spoke for themselves: women gained confidence, young people began to see farming as an opportunity, and families became more resilient to climate shocks.
In August 2025, Mary joined fellow farmers, researchers, county leaders, and development partners at the GTSTIBs Scaling Workshop in Embu. Together, they co-created a roadmap to bring these innovations to every corner of the county. The plan goes beyond seeds and tools—it builds systems where farmers are co-creators of change, not just recipients.
For Mary, the shift has been life-changing. “Farming used to feel like a struggle I carried alone,” she reflects. “Now it feels like a journey we are making together—as families, as communities.”
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