Five Years of Regenerative Agriculture. Here's What One Farmer in Kirinyaga, Kenya Has to Say

For years, Gladys Kanegeni’s and fellow farmers in Kirinyaga practiced regenerative agriculture because they believed in restoring the health of their land, even when the commercial benefits were unclear at the beginning.

“When we started, people thought we were wasting our time,” Gladys shares. Farmers were investing effort into regenerative practices without a reliable market for their produce. But they remained committed to rebuilding their soils and creating a healthier farming system for the future.

Through regenerative agriculture training, Gladys learned that chemical fertilizers can harm soil health and that transitioning away from them needs to happen gradually to avoid sudden drops in yields. The focus was clear: restore the soil first, so farmers can produce healthy, nutritious food sustainably.

After five years of regenerative farming, Gladys has seen the impact. With support from market access venture, Zawiri Foods, her produce now has a market pathway. What began as a small movement among farmers has grown as more growers saw the opportunity created by regenerative supply chains.

Today, Gladys and other farmers are earning income from regenerative chillies, herbs, and spices improving their financial stability while continuing to restore their land.

Regenerative agriculture scales when farmers have the knowledge, inputs, and reliable markets they need to succeed.

🎥 Watch Gladys share her journey from rebuilding soil health to building a more resilient future for farming in Kenya.

But this story doesn't end with Gladys. There are thousands of smallholder farmers across our network who are transitioning to regenerative agriculture.

At Enviu, our approach is focused on building the business ecosystem that makes smallholders' efforts count by connecting regenerative produce to reliable markets. When we do this we create sustainable livelihoods, and making healthier, regeneratively grown produce also available to surrounding communities.

Whether you'd like to interview our team, speak directly with the farmers leading this change, or cover the business models making regenerative agriculture commercially viable in East Africa, get in touch. We'd be happy to share our insights, connect you with our farmer network, and discuss what it takes to build supply chains that work for both people and the planet.