After ten years of engaging farmers in western Kenya, the German-government supported Pro-Soil project has finally folded.
ProSoil, a GIZ (German Development Cooperation) project focused on combating soil degradation and improving food security by promoting climate-smart, agroecological farming practices, especially in Western Kenya.
The project also covered the training extension staff and farmers in techniques like conservation agriculture, integrated soil fertility management, and agroforestry to restore soil health and boost yields.
With the project set to come to an end at the end of 2025, Project Manager David Kersting said atleast 228,000 farmers benefited from the project since 2015, with 63 per cent of the beneficiaries being women and 28 per cent being youth.
He said the project created additional employment opportunities for 1, 200 individuals, as well as leading to sustainable agricultural land management on 87,145 hectors, translating to three months additional food availability for an average household.
According to Kersting, soil degredation is the biggest threat to food security in the region, with major causes of soil degradation in western Kenya being soil erosion from heavy rainfall, continued mining of nutrients through food production without replenishing, and use of wrong fertilizers leading to acidification.
“Healthy soils require knowledge on soil management, investment on capital, and institutions that provide favourable environment for farmers,” he said.
Kersting was speaking in Kisumu during the celebrations to mark the end of the project which provided an opportunity to reflect on its impacts.
Kersting said there is need for proactive policies which promote the agriculture sector so as to make it a viable venture which can attract the youth.
“Healthy soils do not require a lot of money, but a lot of knowledge. Yet there is gradual shift from extension services which provide this knowledge. The extension services is a great area for public investment to support the sector,” he added.
ProSoil Project is part of a larger global initiative funded by Germany’s BMZ, working with local partners to empower farmers and enhance sustainable land management for long-term resilience.
The program program’s goal of large scale implementation of sustainable approaches to soil protection and the rehabilitation of degraded soils targeted seven counties in western Kenya.
With the project coming to an end, GIZ is in discussions to introduce a new project that will build on ProSoil from 2025 to 2028.
