New technical guide: Protocols for innovative agroecological soil, water and integrated pest management practices

A manual covering the technicalities for setting up, implementing, and monitoring of specific innovative soil, water, and integrated pest management practices co-designed by the Agroecology Initiative partners in the agroecological living landscape (ALL) in Kiambu and Makueni Counties, Kenya.

Download the protocols

Located close to Nairobi in the former Central and Eastern Provinces, the two Kenya ALLs encompass humid/semi-humid highlands as well as semi-arid areas, with diverse topography, climate, and soil conditions. The ALL in Makueni County is hosted by the Drylands Natural Resources Centre (DNRC) and the one in Kiambu County by the Community Sustainable Agriculture and Healthy Environment Program (CSHEP). Anchoring the Initiative implementation in existing experimentation and co-learning sites follows a core recommendation of agroecology stakeholders. It fosters structured and sustainable engagement with various food system actors while strengthening the capacities of these farmer training centers.

Now, as the Agroecology Initiative comes to an end, it's time for harvesting the products of teamwork and collaboration, as exemplified by the recently issued publication titled Protocols for innovative agroecological soil, water and integrated pest management practices: Management techniques, trials establishment and monitoring.

This technical guide seeks to help farmers and other land managers to better understand the technicalities of a range of innovative agroecological practices, and to share the acquired and applied knowledge with other interested farmers. The guide outlines the central technical aspects of selected innovative agroecological practices and procedures for setting up, implementing, and monitoring the testing of the selected innovative practices.

It is the result of a thorough co-creation process, which involved a detailed assessment of existing agroecological practices in both ALLs. The Agroecology Initiative team conducted co-design workshops to collectively define innovative agroecological practices that could be tested in the Kiambu and Makueni host centers.

In preparation for the co-design workshops, the Initiative conducted a collaborative rapid innovation assessment of existing soil, water, and pest management practices in both ALLs. Using a multi-stage approach, the team applied stratified random sampling to identify 80 farmers for farm assessments and in-depth interviews. The results underscored the importance of integrating stakeholder input and transdisciplinary technical expertise in the co-design and implementation of agroecological innovations. They also emphasized the necessity of using a structured methodology to understand farmers' options, contexts, and preferences. This approach is essential for co-designing locally relevant agroecological practices, which promotes holistic and inclusive adoption, successful implementation, and the long-term sustainability of these practices.

During the workshops, participating farmers and other food system actors identified, prioritized, and selected one practice in each of the three focus areas - soil, water, and integrated pest management (IPM) - in each ALL. In total, six different practices were identified, and their details collectively designed.

In addition to providing instructions on the practices themselves, the guide aimed to give insights into scientific research thinking and methods to support farmers to become "farmer researchers"/ citizen scientists who are skilled in the set-up and monitoring of their own innovative practices, and who can support others to do the same.

The guide also encourages regular iterative engagements between the different stakeholders to jointly reflect on the performance of the practices and overall experiences made. These exchange, reflection, and co-learning opportunities are part of the overall co-design approach.

These iterations help in the gradual adaptation of the practices and experimental design to suit the respective contexts and participants' expectations. They also create an opportunity for further capacity building, establish a platform for developing collaborations and partnerships, and serve as an entry point for additional responsive external support.