For years, coffee farming in Migori County has been largely associated with conventional production — planting trees, applying fertiliser, waiting for the rains and hoping for a good harvest.
But a quiet agricultural transformation is taking root in parts of the county.
Farmers and agricultural practitioners are increasingly turning to syntropic agriculture, a regenerative farming approach that seeks to work with nature rather than against it. The model combines coffee with other crops and trees, keeps the soil covered, recycles organic matter and creates a farm ecosystem designed to improve soil fertility, moisture retention and productivity over time.
For farmers who have struggled with declining soil fertility, rising input costs and unpredictable weather, the approach is emerging as more than an environmental experiment. It is becoming a potential route to better incomes and more resilient coffee production.
From conventional coffee to regenerative farming
At the centre of this transition is the idea that a coffee farm should not be treated as a field of isolated coffee trees.
Instead, coffee is integrated into a wider biological system in which different plants occupy different layers and perform complementary functions.
The notes gathered from farmers and practitioners indicate that coffee is being grown alongside bananas, vegetables, trees and other complementary species, while organic matter is retained on the farm to improve the soil.
This is particularly important in an era when farmers are facing increasingly erratic weather patterns.
Syntropic systems aim to keep the soil covered, reduce moisture loss and continuously return biomass to the soil. Pruned vegetation can be used as mulch, gradually decomposing and feeding soil organisms.
The result is a farm that is expected to become progressively more fertile instead of becoming exhausted with every production cycle.
One of the farmers cited in the field notes is Jecinta Richard, who is described as having been involved in farming and organic coffee. Her experience illustrates one of the challenges facing the regenerative agriculture movement: farmers may be willing to adopt organic and regenerative methods, but require sustained technical support and access to reliable markets.
The notes indicate that farmers have been encouraged to shift from conventional approaches towards organic coffee production, with calls for extension support to help them understand and implement the new methods.
Coffee becomes part of a larger ecosystem
The difference between syntropic farming and conventional monocropping lies in the relationship between crops.
Rather than leaving coffee trees standing alone on bare ground, farmers can introduce complementary plants that provide shade, organic material, food or additional income.
The field notes mention coffee, bananas, vegetables and trees, while also highlighting the importance of pruning and returning plant material to the soil.
This creates what regenerative agriculture practitioners describe as a living farm.
The vegetation protects the soil from direct exposure to intense sunlight and heavy rainfall. As plant material decomposes, nutrients are gradually returned to the soil.
For smallholder farmers, the system also presents an opportunity to diversify household incomes.
A coffee farmer does not necessarily have to wait for the coffee harvest to earn money. Vegetables, bananas and other crops can provide food or income during different periods of the year.
That diversification could become particularly important as climate change makes dependence on a single crop increasingly risky.
Farmers seeking a way out of high input costs
Another major attraction of the model is its potential to reduce dependence on expensive external inputs.
The notes record concerns over input costs, with one entry indicating a cost of about Sh250 per kilogram, alongside references to fertiliser and the need to consider what can realistically be done under local climatic conditions.
For smallholder farmers, such expenses can quickly become prohibitive.
Syntropic agriculture attempts to shift some of the fertility-building work from purchased inputs to processes taking place within the farm itself.
Crop residues, weeds and pruned biomass are not simply regarded as waste. They can become resources for rebuilding the soil.
This is where the regenerative approach differs fundamentally from a production system that continually removes nutrients without adequately replacing them.
Caleb Odondi Omollo: coffee and regeneration
Among the names emerging from the field notes is Caleb Odondi Omollo, who has been involved in syntropic agriculture since 2015.
His experience offers an important window into the evolution of regenerative farming in Migori.
The notes describe him as saying that he became involved in coffee and regenerative farming after farmers sought his assistance and guidance.
He is also associated with efforts to promote coffee production while addressing some of the structural challenges facing smallholder farmers.
One of the issues highlighted is the market.
It is not enough for farmers to be encouraged to plant coffee or adopt regenerative methods if they cannot obtain a fair price for their produce.
The notes therefore point to the need for stronger market linkages alongside agricultural extension.
For syntropic agriculture to move beyond isolated demonstration farms, farmers need the entire value chain — from seedlings and technical advice to harvesting, processing, aggregation and marketing — to function effectively.
The economics of organic coffee
The field notes also point to an important economic argument for organic production.
Organic coffee is described as potentially attracting a better price than conventional coffee, with a reference to approximately Sh200 per kilogramme compared with Sh80, although the actual price farmers receive would depend on the market, certification, quality and buyer.
That price differential could be transformative for smallholder producers if supported by credible markets.
But organic production also comes with its own demands.
Farmers need knowledge about soil management, pest control, composting, pruning, certification requirements and traceability. They also require buyers willing to reward them for producing high-quality coffee.
This explains why extension services are repeatedly highlighted in the notes.
The missing link: extension services
The experiences recorded from the farmers point to a common problem: knowledge does not automatically translate into adoption.
A farmer may understand that organic matter improves the soil but still need practical guidance on how much biomass to apply, when to prune, which companion crops to plant and how to manage competition for nutrients and sunlight.
The notes mention farmers requiring proper guidance and point to a perceived gap in extension services.
That gap could slow the expansion of syntropic agriculture unless county and national agricultural agencies, research institutions, farmer organisations and private actors work together.
For a county such as Migori, where thousands of smallholders depend on agriculture, extension could be the bridge between promising regenerative techniques and measurable improvements in household incomes.
Young trees, new hope
Another farmer mentioned in the notes is Jotham Odero Munda, whose farm is recorded as having about 200 trees and described as providing a good income.
The reference is significant because it demonstrates the economic potential of coffee when properly managed.
For farmers contemplating the transition to regenerative systems, successful neighbours can sometimes provide more convincing evidence than technical manuals.
A productive farm becomes a living classroom.
Farmers can observe the condition of the soil, the health of coffee trees, the diversity of crops and, ultimately, the returns generated from the farm.
Learning from farmers themselves
The notes also mention Judith Akoko, whose experience is linked to organic coffee and the shift towards syntropic practices.
Her story, like those of other farmers, underscores an important reality: regenerative agriculture cannot be imposed from above.
Farmers must see practical benefits.
That means demonstrating that a syntropic coffee farm can improve soil health while also producing enough coffee and complementary crops to support a household.
It also means addressing farmers’ immediate concerns — markets, income, labour, inputs and access to finance.
Linking Migori to wider regenerative agriculture
The movement in Migori is not happening in isolation.
The notes refer to Benson Opiyo and the Tunza Project, associated with value-chain development and discussions around African leafy vegetables and regenerative agriculture.
There is also reference to work involving 33 counties, suggesting that regenerative approaches are increasingly being considered beyond individual farms and communities.
African leafy vegetables and other fast-growing food crops can play an important role in diversified farming systems because they provide food and potential income while contributing biomass to the farm.
The concept therefore goes beyond coffee.
It is about redesigning the farm so that food production, soil restoration, biodiversity and income generation reinforce each other.
Climate change makes the shift more urgent
Migori’s coffee farmers are operating in a changing climate.
Rainfall patterns are becoming less predictable, periods of intense rainfall can cause erosion and nutrient loss, while prolonged dry spells can put crops under stress.
Bare soils are particularly vulnerable.
Syntropic agriculture’s emphasis on permanent soil cover, organic matter and diversified vegetation offers one potential response.
Trees and other plants can help moderate conditions around coffee, while mulch can reduce evaporation and protect soil organisms.
The approach does not eliminate climate risks, but it can make farms more resilient.
From farm waste to farm wealth
Perhaps the most important philosophical change introduced by syntropic agriculture is the redefinition of what constitutes waste.
Branches, leaves, weeds and crop residues that might traditionally have been removed or burnt can instead be returned to the soil.
The farm effectively becomes its own recycling system.
Every pruning exercise can therefore become an opportunity to feed the soil.
Every layer of mulch can help conserve moisture.
Every additional crop can provide food or income.
And every healthy tree contributes to a more diverse agricultural ecosystem.
The challenge of scaling up
Despite its promise, syntropic agriculture is not a magic solution.
It requires knowledge, patience and careful management.
Farmers transitioning from conventional systems may initially find the approach labour-intensive. There are also questions around access to quality seedlings, availability of extension officers, market organisation and the economics of certification for organic coffee.
Most importantly, farmers need evidence that the approach works under Migori’s specific conditions.
That makes farmer field schools, demonstration farms and locally generated knowledge crucial.
The experiences of farmers such as Caleb Odondi Omollo, Jotham Odero Munda and Judith Akoko, alongside practitioners including Benson Opiyo, could provide valuable lessons for others considering the transition.
A new coffee story for Migori
For decades, the conversation around African agriculture has often focused on increasing production through more fertiliser, pesticides and other external inputs.
Syntropic agriculture offers a different proposition: increase productivity by rebuilding the biological foundation of the farm.
In Migori, that idea is increasingly finding expression in coffee fields where trees are being integrated with other crops, soil is being protected and organic matter is being returned to the land.
The ultimate test will be whether the approach can deliver what farmers need most — healthy soils, reliable harvests, better coffee quality and improved incomes.
If it succeeds, Migori’s coffee story could become about more than producing beans.
It could become a story of farmers rebuilding their soils, diversifying their livelihoods and adapting agriculture to a changing climate — one regenerative farm at a time.
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