Murang’a farmers practicing agro-ecology set to benefit from sale of carbon credits

By Purity Mugo (KNA)

Murang’a farmers in agro-ecology are set to benefit from the sale of carbon credits following the entry of an agent, Now Partners Foundation that has teamed up with the county government and other stakeholders to activate carbon credit trade.

Now Partners Foundation organisation will help farmers adopt natural farming methods to generate carbon credits for sale and earn an income.

Walter Link, the founder and executive chairperson of Now Partners Foundation, who was speaking at the Muranga County Headquarters after meeting various stakeholders in agro-ecology, noted that although farmers are sequestering carbon through farming, they are not being paid for it.

He said in addition to upscaling natural farming in the county, their partner, the Economy of Love (EoL) from Egypt will help measure carbon credits while Now Partners Foundation will help the farmers market them internationally, giving farmers additional income.

“The farmer will therefore have greater yield, more productivity through natural farming and even more income through carbon credits,” Link said.

He noted that with natural farming the farmers will incur less costs because they will not be using expensive chemical fertilizers and pesticides, adding that they will work with them to find the solutions that work in their specific situations to help them generate carbon credit.

“Farmers around the world are interested in this method because they will be at the center of all our efforts to make life better for the farmer and their families,” Link clarified.

“The healthy nutritious foods will improve the health of the community and at the same time develop stronger local economies and also support the national economy,” he added.

Link noted that the method has been successful. For instance, in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh community, the organization managed natural farming, a partnership between the government of Andhra Pradesh in India and one million small holder farmers.

 The farmers are achieving better yields and more income by shifting from chemical farming to organic farming, also called natural farming.

“This methodology was developed eight years ago and continues to improve, bringing together the best farming approaches from around the world and testing them on the ground,” he said.

“There is a lot of innovation, so it is not going back to traditional farming but going forward to a better way of farming,” Link added.

According to him, natural farming integrates economic success for the farmers, the communities and the country with sustainability for nature, human and social development.

“It is one system that brings together all the stakeholders: Farmers, civil societies and the government and benefits them, which is what we call a good solution,” Link said natural farming also benefits the natural ecosystems and the climate.

Now Partners Foundation is helping scale up natural farming around the world, having a presence in 25 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Link further said the organisation hopes to adopt the methodology with respect to the local conditions taking into account diversity of the stakeholders.

“We have to be respectful not only of the climate and the soil but also of the cultures of the people involved,” he said.

Link applauded the existing agro-ecology policy and strategy of Murang’a County and the governor’s support, saying he is putting the farmer and communities at the center through supporting production of healthy food.

Murang’a County County Executive in-charge of Devolution, External Linkages and Partnerships, Kiringai Kamau, welcomed the partnership with Now Partners Foundation saying the county government will work with the other partners already involved in agro-ecology in the county.

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