At Laterite, we know that quantitative program evaluations tell us whether a program works, but not why. To understand what drives or limits adoption and how programs can improve, we need to hear directly from the people who engage with them every day. Qualitative research provides the space for participants to share their experiences and challenges, revealing insights that surveys often miss. These nuanced insights help us understand not just what happened, but why. It connects the dots between implementation and outcomes.
Our recent qualitative study, which we conducted as Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) partner for the SNV Regenerative Agricultural Practices for Improved Livelihoods and Markets (REALMS) program illustrates this well. REALMS program was one of the precursors to the Power for Food Partnership, coordinated by SNV and supported by the IKEA Foundation, and the learnings from the program still continues to inform broader efforts to strengthen regenerative and climate-resilient food systems. Listening to farmers in Kenya and Rwanda about their journeys to adopt regenerative agriculture practices, revealed key drivers, challenges, and the perceived impact of these practices in Kenya and Rwanda. This qualitative evidence provided invaluable insights on how REALMS can better support small-holder farmers’ livelihoods while restoring farm ecosystems and promoting climate-smart agriculture.
The Evolving Role of Regenerative Agriculture in East Africa
Regenerative agriculture (RA) is not new to farmers in Kenya and Rwanda. It has long been embedded in traditional farming practices passed down through generations. But in recent years, interest has grown as farmers confront declining soil fertility and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. In this context, RA offers a path that restores soils, strengthens climate resilience, and supports long-term productivity.
The SNV REALMS (Regenerative Agricultural Practices for Improved Livelihoods and Markets) program, funded by the IKEA Foundation, empowers smallholder farmers in Kenya and Rwanda to adopt a range of RA practices:
- Composting
- Crop rotation and intercropping
- Mulching
- Natural pest control
- Bio-pesticide and organic fertilizer production
The program supports farmers through participatory training delivered via Farmer Field Schools and by connecting them with local businesses that produce and supply RA inputs.
The qualitative study focused on two key questions:
- How have farmers adopted the RA practices taught the REALMS program?
- What challenges and barriers do farmers face in adopting agricultural practices?
The findings reveal not only which practices are taking hold, but also the practical considerations and lived experiences that shape farmers’ decisions—insights that would have been invisible in a survey alone.
Understanding Farmer Adoption of Regenerative Practices: What we learned from listening to farmers
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Adoption is strongest where practices build on local knowledge
Farmers in both countries recognized many RA practices as extensions of what their parents and grandparents used to do. The REALMS trainings helped expand the adoption of these practices. In Kenya, composting emerged as the most widely adopted practice, followed by the use of organic fertilizers and mulching. In Rwanda, the use of organic fertilizers topped the list, with composting and bio-pesticides also gaining traction.
Farmers emphasized that some of these practices have been part of their communities for generations. One female farmer in Rwanda shared,
I am 59 years old. When I was born, my dad had a cow, and he would put manure in his sorghum fields. We used to get a healthy sorghum harvest.
Similarly, a male farmer in Kenya noted,
We have been practicing intercropping throughout. It has been long, even when my parents were still there, we used to practice intercropping.
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Cost-effective, locally made inputs drive adoption
A consistent theme across interviews was the appeal of inputs that farmers can produce at home. Compost, organic pesticides, and other homemade fertilizers reduced reliance on expensive industrial products. While affordability was a major motivator for these “homemade” solutions, it is interesting to note that truly labor-based, free practices – such as inter-cropping and crop rotation – saw much lower adoption rates.
One female farmer in Kenya emphasized the cost-effectiveness of homemade RA products:
Yeah, so you saw me dig; I was putting that manure. It was just a little, so I used it there, and then my neighbor gave me […] two wheelbarrows of manure, and I used them to plant.
In Rwanda, another male farmer detailed the local fertilizer-making process from locally available resources:
We make it from virgin soil, like from a forest and we mix it with cows’ dung, milk, and Ndamutibikanye [local leafy edible plant]… and after a week, we filter them and use the solution as a fertilizer.
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Farmers see tangible benefits in soil health and yields
Across both countries, farmers described improvements in soil health and nutrient management ultimately leading to better yields. Techniques like mulching helped retain soil moisture, reduce erosion and suppress weed growth, while intercropping, crop rotation and organic fertilizers enriched the soil and replenished nutrients.
A Kenyan male farmer reflected on how adopting composting increased his crop yield:
…I bought [chemical] fertilizer from the shop, and I started planting. When I harvested seven bags, I told myself, I have never gotten low yields like this. Seven bags are a big loss for me. I started preparing compost manure at home. I tried again the following year [using compost manure] and I got fourteen bags. I decided to put the fertilizer from the shop aside and I used the local ones.
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Labor, livestock access, and knowledge retention remain key barriers
Despite the positives, farmers pointed to challenges that affect consistent adoption:
- Labor intensity: Preparing and transporting compost or organic fertilizer is time-consuming and transporting heavy inputs to their fields is physically demanding, especially for women. A female farmer in Kenya shared:
Sometimes it is tedious work, the mulching; you have to have time to make it and if you are alone, you need money to pay someone to help you.
- Livestock access: Households without animals struggle to produce manure-based compost. A Rwandan male farmer summarized this plainly:
The obstacle is insufficient ingredients… Those who are capable can produce it [slurry fertilizer], but when I think of making it, I lack some ingredients, and I end up postponing what I had started.
- Retention of training content: Farmers expressed the need for continuous training and follow-up support to retain and effectively implement the teachings from the REALMS program. A male farmer in Rwanda said:
We have a limited number of experts, and our efforts yield relatively modest results. If we had three agronomists in our sector or village who could guide farmers, it could make a significant difference.
These insights help implementers understand not only the existence of barriers, but their social and gendered dimensions.
Recommendations: Strengthening support for long-term adoption
Drawing on farmers’ perspectives, Laterite recommends several strategies to enhance RA adoption.
- Learning is Perennial: Why Refresher Courses are the Secret to Long-Term Adoption– Implement “tiered” training where experienced farmers mentor those at lower levels, and organize field trips to “champion farms” to see practices in action.
- From Waste to Wealth: Building a Marketplace for Organic Inputs – Facilitate platforms where farmers can sell pre-made organic fertilizers, compost, and bio-pesticides. This creates a new revenue stream for suppliers and solves the accessibility crisis for buyers.
- Lightening the Load: Solving the Labor Crisis in Regenerative Agriculture– Design interventions that improve the transportation of RA products—such as localized production closer to the fields—to prevent “tedious work” from becoming a barrier to participation.
- Show Me the Harvest: Using Records to Prove the RA Advantage – Provide training on financial and yield record-keeping. When farmers can see the exact math—lower input costs plus improved soil health—the “appeal of homemade” becomes an undeniable business case.
Laterite’s partnership with SNV on the REALMS program underscores our commitment to evidence-based approaches that strengthen sustainable, climate-smart agricultural practices and improve livelihoods. By understanding farmer perspectives, we can better tailor interventions while addressing the specific challenges farmers face. This study not only highlights the tangible benefits of RA but also underscores the need for ongoing support to ensure the long-term success of regenerative agricultural practices.
This blog was written by Mercy Muttai, Research Associate at Laterite.
Photos via Shutterstock.