Denmark based GrowGrounds launches a project in Kenya to engage with 5800 coffee farmers for sustainable farming
December 20 - 2024
Coffee Geography Magazine
GrowGrounds based in Denmark launches a project that engages with 5,800 Kenyan coffee farmers for sustainable development of agroforestry. The organization intends to plant 1.1 million trees to keep the biodiversity of the region for better expansion of the coffee farming.
GrowGrounds has announced a transformative partnership with three leading coffee farming cooperatives societies in Nyeri County, Kenya: Iriani Farmers Cooperative Society, Kiawamuru FCS, and Aguthi Farmers Cooperative Society. The landmark agreement marks a pivotal step in advancing both environmentally and financially sustainable farming practices, empowering farmers and contributing to global climate action.
"Together with 5,800 farmers, we will convert 3,500 hectares of exhausted farmland to biodiverse, carbon-sequestering agroforestry systems while planting 1.1 million trees in three years," says co-founder at GrowGrounds and responsible for the company's African operations, Poul David Videbaek.
GrowGrounds' CCO and responsible for the company's African activities, Poul David Videbæk, at work in one of the Kenyan cooperatives, which is now to be converted to agroforestry.
The agreement lays the foundation for a large-scale venture designed to transform the entire Kenyan coffee sector. With GrowGrounds' expertise in coffee, agroforestry and carbon sequestration, Kenyan farmers will adopt syntropic farming practices that enhance biodiversity, improve yields, and create long-term revenue opportunities. The collaboration goes beyond coffee farming, building climate resilience, restoring ecosystems, and enabling access to the global carbon market.
"For the 5,800 farmers, this partnership represents a brighter and more sustainable future. Through comprehensive training and technical support, they will learn to implement agroforestry techniques that regenerate soil health, diversify crop yields, and increase their farms' economic potential. With direct access to carbon credits certified under the Gold Standard, farmers will gain a new revenue stream from the global carbon market. This is a critical step toward economic empowerment," Poul David Videbaek explains.
"This project is a testament to our mission: We grow businesses by growing nature. By combining innovative farming practices with economic incentives, we're helping farmers and communities thrive while fighting climate change," he adds.
The conversion of the 3,500 hectares under this partnership agreement will pave the way for scaling the initiative to 30,000 hectares in East Africa by 2029. GrowGrounds envisions expanding this model across East Africa, supporting more farmers, and creating a ripple effect of positive change for people and planet.