At her fertiliser processing plant in Mwea, Kirinyaga, Joyce Kamande is changing farming, household incomes and soil quality in Central Kenya.
She and a co-founder at Safi Organics have found a way of turning agricultural waste into organic fertiliser that retails at less than half the price of its inorganic alternative.
It’s also more effective and kinder to the soil, customers and scientists say.
Globally, there is a renewed interest in organic fertilisers as global prices for chemical inputs skyrocket because of the war in Ukraine.
"Through our innovative approach, farmers have successfully reduced their fertiliser costs by 30-40 percent while simultaneously improving soil health and crop yields."
Joyce is part of this quiet revolution that has seen yields of her customers surge 27 percent and net income by 50 percent.
Rice husks, which were being burnt, polluting the environment and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, are churning out affordable fertliser.
The story of Safi Organics emerges from a deep-rooted crisis in Kenyan agriculture, where farmers face a complex web of challenges that have historically limited their potential.
“As a co-founder, my journey began with witnessing firsthand the struggles of smallholder farmers caught in a cycle of dependency on imported fertilisers and diminishing returns from their land,” says Joyce.
“Through our innovative approach, farmers have successfully reduced their fertiliser costs by 30-40 percent while simultaneously improving soil health and crop yields.” Her target market, for now, is small-holder farmers who have seen their yields decline as land becomes increasingly degraded.
She dreamed of a white-collar job after graduating with a degree in Procurement from Dedan Kimathi University of Science & Technology, but an encounter with her co-founder, who was exploring waste management, piqued her interest, despite lacking formal training in agriculture.
-Ndugu Abisai