By Jackline Mauta
In Eastern and Coastal Kenya, smallholder farmers have long faced declining yields despite investing in quality seeds and fertilizers. The issue, as identified by FIPS Africa’s field and research teams, lies beneath the surface.
Years of shallow tillage and limited soil management have created hardpan layers of compacted soil zones that impede root growth, restrict water infiltration, and trap nutrients. Without addressing this invisible barrier, even the best farming inputs cannot achieve their potential.
What is deep tillage?
Deep tillage is a climate-smart practice designed to restore soil health by breaking compacted layers below the ploughing zone. Unlike conventional tillage, which only loosens the top few centimeters, deep tillage penetrates beyond 30 cm, improving aeration, water retention, and root development. By accessing these deeper layers, crops can fully utilise soil nutrients and moisture, unlocking their growth potential.
FIPS Africa’s Field Approach
At FIPS Africa, our philosophy is simple: work with farmers, not for them. Through demonstration plots and hands-on training, farmers learn how to implement deep tillage on their own land, monitor soil response, and adapt techniques to local conditions. This participatory approach ensures that innovations are practical, scalable, and sustainable while fostering ownership among farmers.
The Science of Soil Recovery
Compacted soils limit microbial activity, slow water movement, and reduce fertilizer efficiency. Deep tillage restores soil structure and promotes biological activity, allowing water and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the root zone. This leads to stronger crops that can withstand drought and erratic rainfall, enhancing farm resilience in regions increasingly affected by climate change.
Tangible Benefits for Farmers
Farmers adopting deep tillage have observed measurable improvements:
- Higher yields of maize, cowpeas, and cassava
- Improved fertilizer efficiency and reduced input losses
- Enhanced water absorption, reducing vulnerability to dry spells
Some smallholders have reported up to 30% yield increases within a single season, demonstrating that simple soil interventions can have a profound impact on food security and livelihoods.
Empowering local communities
Beyond technical interventions, FIPS Africa prioritises community engagement. Field officers collaborate with women’s groups, youth farmers, and local cooperatives, ensuring knowledge is shared equitably. Every deep-tillage demonstration doubles as a learning platform empowering farmers to innovate, adapt, and strengthen the resilience of their communities.
The success of deep tillage initiatives is strengthened through strategic partnerships with donors and development organizations. These collaborations allow FIPS Africa to scale interventions to reach more farmers and deliver measurable impact. By combining transparent reporting with tangible results. We ensure that investments in soil health yield both environmental and social returns, making our approach a model for sustainable agriculture globally
Deep tillage is more than a farming technique; it is a pathway to healthy soils, resilient farms, and sustainable livelihoods. As FIPS Africa, our vision is clear: to transform the story beneath the soil from one of struggle into one of opportunity. By investing in soil health today, Kenyan farmers secure better harvests, stronger communities, and a brighter future.
