This compilation consists of ten selected SLM practices that contribute to improved soil fertility and enhance soil health for the sustainability of food and agricultural systems.

This document captures the stories, challenges, and triumphs of farmers in Bungoma, Kakamega, and Siaya counties, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of communities amid changing climates and agricultural landscapes. This blend of local wisdom and innovation highlights the local community’s commitment to embracing sustainable and climate-smart approaches to soil and land management.

This compilation is Western Kenya’s contribution to a worldwide problem; it is a living resource that Bungoma, Siaya, and Kakamega counties can use for years. It provides guidance for implementing successful SLM practices, facilitating informed decision-making, and fostering continuous learning and improvement.

Decisions on investment and policy require answers to key questions about the scalability, economic viability, and long-term effects of biochar use under realistic scenarios. Information on market size is key to drive advancements in delivery models, product formulation, regulatory frameworks, and fiscal incentives for effective and sustainable integration into the agri-food value chains. This ex-ante upscaled assessment aims to provide clarity on the potential scale and impact of biochar use in maize systems of Kenya by leveraging official data on land use, crop yields and fertilizer statistics, findings from research and case studies, all while accounting for varied need of residues, uncertainties and safety margins. A modelling procedure (Figure 1) with sequential operations starting from grain production data over standard conversion to residue quantities, deductions of competing pulls for livestock, resource recovery from pyrolytic processes, and dose-response yield gain was implemented that provides a comprehensive approach to evaluating agricultural efficiency and sustainability. As the benefit of soil health interventions is manifested over multiple years, these steps were looped, and legacy effects carried forth. Input data and conversion factors were furnished or reviewed by selected informants that are experts or practitioners in the field, ensuring robust and representative outcome. This framework and methods can be replicated across other geographic scales and regions. Besides the biophysical potential, the financial viability of biochar use was evaluated against prices of production, grain and fertilizer. The main factors used for conversion and response calculation are summarized in Annex #1. Results presented in this brief can help stakeholders anticipate the likely-hood outcomes and make informed decisions about the adoption and implementation.

In India, ProSoil is implemented in the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The SLM practices from India in this compilation represent a broad spectrum of activities and interventions the project has undertaken since 2015. These practices are typified by local innovation and resource efficiency. They leverage local materials in a way that benefits soil health and is financially sustainable for farmers. Through its efforts, the project has helped rehabilitate 54,658 hectares of land in the implementation area. We have validated business models for products such as crop residue-based biochar and quality-tested urban organic waste-derived compost. This has cemented the financial viability of the project’s SLM practices, incentivising their self-sustaining proliferation.

While these interventions respond to specific challenges within each local context, there is also potential for applicability and scale in other regions. To explore and operationalise the practices, India and other ProSoil global programme partner countries have already been working consistently to deepen South-South SLM knowledge exchange.

Au Bénin, les sols s’épuisent à un rythme accéléré du fait des mauvaises pratiques culturales, des conditions climatiques et de l’utilisation abusive des engrais minéraux. Une étude faite en 2016 sur le niveau de fertilité des sols par le Laboratoire d’Appui à l’Amélioration de la Santé des Sols, de la qualité des Eaux et à la sauvegarde de l’Environnement (L2A2S2E) de l’Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB) a révélé que 90 % des sols du Bénin ont un niveau de fertilité faible à très faible, notamment dans les départements du Borgou, de l’Alibori et du Zou. Cela entraine des conséquences telles que la diminution des rendements des cultures, la menace à la sécurité alimentaire, l’augmentation de la pauvreté ainsi que la menace à l’environnement et à la santé humaine.

Pour inverser cette situation, le projet « Protection et Réhabilitation des Sols (ProSOL) » promeut la mise en œuvre à large échelle des approches de protection et de réhabilitation durables des sols au Bénin. Le biochar, la Terra Preta et le compost sont des innovations parmi les mesures de Gestion Durable des Terres (GDT) diffusées par ProSOL.

La mise en place depuis 2020 du système de Semence de Qualité Déclarée (SQD) dans le Boeny marque une avancée significative dans l’amélioration de la qualité des semences ainsi que le soutien à une agriculture plus durable dans la région.

Ce système SQD répond à la nécessité d’améliorer l’accès des paysan·ne·s à des semences de meilleure qualité et de variétés bien adaptées aux conditions agroécologiques spécifiques de la région Boeny.

Ce document présente en détail les trois axes clés du déploiement du système SQD dans la région : (1) la définition et la mise en place des Normes de certification des semences, (2) l’inscription des variétés locales au Registre SQD Boeny et (3) la formation des paysan·ne·s multiplicateur·rice·s de semences.