Agriculture plays a crucial role in East Africa's economy, yet a 2025 soil report by the Heinrich Boll Foundation, a German think tank, revealed that over 40% of the region's soils are degraded. This degradation, partly caused by the overuse of chemical fertilisers, results in an estimated annual loss of more than $65 billion in productivity.
In Kenya, 32% of cropland was classified as strongly acidic, with intensive farming and changing climate conditions contributing factors. Fertiliser prices surged in 2026 due to the war in the Middle East, prompting farmers to seek alternative solutions.
Farmers like George Muturi Kamau have embraced vermicomposting—using redworms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich fertiliser. Muturi credits a worm-filled wooden shack on his farm in Lari, about 50 kilometres from Nairobi, with rescuing his land from chemical fertiliser-induced degradation and improving his harvests. He describes vermicomposting as a breakthrough that enables planting and sustaining crops even during dry seasons.
Similarly, in Nakuru County, Robert Mwangi uses black soldier fly larvae to produce natural fertiliser. Mwangi explains that conventional fertilisers increase soil acidity, harming beneficial microbes and reducing soil productivity over time.
While widespread adoption may take time, farmers are increasingly realizing that continuous reliance on chemical fertilisers is unsustainable. Vermicompost offers a promising solution by improving soil health and reducing dependency on synthetic inputs, though demand currently exceeds production capacity.
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