Bungoma, Kenya Leads the Way on OPEN’s Global Regenerative Agriculture Research Experiment

With the continued support of Bungoma County’s Ministry of Agriculture led by Mr. Chrisantus Mangoli and Mr. Maurice Emuria and OPEN’s Country Manager, Bonventure Masika, our three test bed sites have shown exceptional results in protecting against erosion, rapidly restoring soil health, while beginning to measure and compare carbon sequestration capabilities. The sites are – Mabanga Agriculture Training Centre, Machwele Vocational Agriculture Training Centre, and Kitinda Secondary School.

On our two food crop plots we compare regenerative practices to traditional farming methods, while intercropping with maize and bush bean vegetables. And on our regenerative plot two we are starting the process of cover crops for better water retention, further protection against erosion, and to increase the fertility of the topsoil for subsequent planting seasons. Macune and Jackbean cover crops were planted in that instance. While we have a ways to go, and much data to collect from this and our many other sites, however as you can see by these pictures, we have tremendous results so far from the Bungoma, Kenya farm region.

Seven other countries and other Kenyan schools are joining Bungoma County in this important food security and climate science experiment led by our OPEN country leaders and NGO and university partners. So far our network consists of partners, AgroTech in Liberia; The National Youth Network for Climate Change (NYNCC) and Lilongwe University of Agriculture in Malawi; Agriculture researchers and teachers in the Eastern and Southern DRC; Agriculture teachers in South and Southeastern, Kenya; Ecosystem research partners in Southern France; Special Education and our private school partners in Abuja, Nigeria; other agriculture researchers in Jamaica; and across our school network in Australia, and soon we hope Botswana University of Agriculture & Natural Resources.

Our IoT Sensor networks are being deployed at several of these sites to more readily and efficiently gather and analyze these data sets by students and scientists alike. Forestry sensor monitoring for CO2, carbon capture will help complete the full ecosystem picture. Stay tuned!!