Working towards a food-secure future for Africa is achievable by producing more with less while simultaneously rebuilding the land.
This was the central message at the “Regenerative revolution: Building more sustainable solutions for smallholder farmers” panel discussion, held ahead of the official opening of the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
The event brought together leaders from Bayer, Opportunity International, and the International Potato Centre to discuss new regenerative interventions across the agricultural value chain.
“One of the challenges in the transition to regenerative agriculture is to show smallholder farmers the value of these agronomic practices and how they can improve farm productivity and economic sustainability,” said Mildred Nadah Pita, Bayer’s head of public affairs and sustainability for Africa.
She emphasised the importance of knowledge transfer, access to finance and inputs, and the alignment of policies to support regenerative agriculture as key goals for industry partners and government agencies.
The significance of training and educating smallholder farmers in regenerative agriculture was underscored by Samuel Nsengiymva, a young Rwandan farmer associated with AgriResearch Unguka. Representing youth and smallholder farmers, he noted, “We need both partners and platforms to help in this much-needed knowledge sharing.”
The event earlier this week also sparked discussions among panellists and audience members about the necessity for more collaboration and partnerships in the agricultural value chain to help farmers realise the benefits of investing in regenerative agricultural practices.
“Forging stronger partnerships in the agricultural value chain to serve farmers is key to unlocking the potential of regenerative agriculture in the smallholder market,” stated Jens Hartmann, Bayer Crop Science head of the EMEA region.
He further highlighted that regenerative agriculture is about “producing more while restoring more” and called for a concerted effort to support farmers who are already affected by climate change. Hartmann emphasised the need for intentionality in providing tools, skills training, and knowledge transfer to support farmers.
Why we need regenerative agriculture
Smallholder farmers produce one-third of the world’s food supply, with the number rising to 70-80% in some African countries.
These communities, however, are among the most vulnerable to extreme poverty, climate change, and hunger. There is growing consensus in the scientific community that regenerative and adaptive practices can help combat the climate crisis and mitigate the impact of climate change.
“The importance of focusing specifically on smallholder farmers’ acceptance and understanding of regenerative agricultural systems is crucial in Bayer’s mission of achieving Health for All, Hunger for None,” said Hartmann.
An audience survey conducted during the event revealed a clear demand: farmers want more knowledge about regenerative agriculture and easier access to financing and markets.
The panellists echoed this sentiment, stressing that more work is needed to improve the understanding and adoption of regenerative agricultural principles that keep the land productive, restore and preserve natural resources, and mitigate the effects of climate change.
“We need to align our efforts and definitions, be it in research, knowledge transfer, or farmer enablement. African farmers are already applying many elements of regenerative agriculture that help protect and improve soil health, biodiversity, and water sources. These efforts should be recognised and supported in the value chain and encouraged through agricultural policies,” said Pita.
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