In Kenya, land degradation is recognised as a significant environmental challenge, threatening the livelihoods of over 12 million people living in affected areas. Nearly 80% of Kenya's landmass is impacted by soil degradation, which directly affects smallholder farmers by reducing their income and food security. Farmers who do not adopt Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices face a steady decline in their profits, as crop yields drop by approximately 2% annually due to soil degradation, contributing to a historical yield reduction of 70% over the past 11 years. Without SLM, farming becomes increasingly unproductive and labor-intensive as soil fertility and structure deteriorate, resulting in lower yields and higher labor costs.
The adoption of sustainable land management practices, particularly through training and the implementation of agroforestry, can have a transformative effect. Kenya has set a goal to mitigate up to 4.1 MtCO2e by 2030 by establishing agroforestry on 281,000 hectares between 2015 and 2030. Introducing Moringa-based agroforestry systems, combined with food and cash crops, will not only enhance climate resilience but also improve food security and boost farmers' incomes.
