Stiftung

The future of agriculture is at stake as soil health continues to degrade. Practices like monoculture, plowing, and overuse of chemical inputs have depleted soil nutrients and structure, prompting farmers to explore alternative soil management strategies. While upscaling these solutions shows promise, policy, and financial support remain insufficient.

Soils are vital to our survival. They store greenhouse gases and water and are home to at least a quarter of all living creatures on earth.  In Kenya over 40% of soils are affected by land degradation, high proportions are acidic and saline.

Kenya's worsening soil degradation poses a serious threat to its agricultural future. Redefining soil health through policies that support site-specific solutions is essential for meaningful change in soil management.

Kenya's diverse soils face interconnected challenges that require tailored solutions for sustainable productivity. Simply increasing the use of synthetic fertilisers is not enough.

  Soil degradation poses a global crisis as it jeopardises food security, livelihoods, and ecosystem health. The situation is worse in East Africa, where over 40 percent of soils are degraded, threatening the region’s agricultural foundation and resilience.

Nairobi, Kenya, December 9, 2024 - The Route to Food Initiative (RTFI), a programme of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Kenya, is excited to announce the launch of Kenya’s first-ever Farmers Resource Guide on alternatives to Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), a groundbreaking tool designed to promote sustainable and pesticide-free farming practices. This guide is by framers for farmers, offering practical knowledge and tools to help farmers at all experience levels to grow healthy, nutritious food while safeguarding their health, the environment, and future generations.

COP29 was expected to deliver a global goal for climate finance that meets the challenges of the future. It failed to do so. Instead, it launched international carbon markets that create new loopholes for fossil fuel emitters.

The recent debate in the Kenyan Parliament advocating for a ban on HHPs is a vital step towards ensuring food safety. However, this discussion needs to be followed by concrete action. Dr. Harun Warui emphasized the need for policies that safeguard both human health and the environment.

On July 25th, 2024, the Heinrich Böll Foundation in partnership with the Young Women's Leadership Institute (YWLI) hosted a pivotal Gender Forum at the Heinrich Böll Foundation's Nairobi office to raise raising awareness about femicide in Kenya