Sustainable Farming: Relieve Hunger in East Africa

Our Africa partners have been busy. In the DRC, farmers continue their work despite ongoing insecurity from rebel attacks in parts of Eastern Congo. Our team members recently returned safely after visiting biochar projects in five communities.

In Malawi, a cooperative of 30 women farmers trained by Warm Heart is harvesting its first groundnut crop and beginning to repay the capital provided through a revolving input loan program.

In Kenya, our biochar-based micro-enterprise and demonstration farm activities continue to make steady progress.

DRC

Despite the stresses created by conflict in the region, biochar training and demonstration activities continue in communities outside the active fighting areas.

During recent visits, the team met with farmers, reviewed project progress, and strengthened local leadership.

New field coordinators have been appointed to support biochar follow-up activities and farmer mentoring. The coordinators communicate community needs and introduce new ideas for farming, livestock, and other areas of daily life.

They also stay connected with the farmers trained through the program who continue to make and use biochar.

At the Busigha demonstration farm, the eight-hectare site includes bananas, maize, pumpkins, pineapples, and fruit trees.

Farmers are producing biochar on-site and incorporating it into the demonstration plots to improve soil quality and water retention.The farm serves as both a learning center and a practical example of how biochar can support diversified agricultural production.

Malawi

Last fall, a group of 30 women biochar farmers in Dowa District approached our team with an opportunity. After participating in Warm Heart training, they formed a cooperative and secured a buyer for groundnuts, but lacked the capital needed to purchase improved seed and inputs.

Through a revolving input loan program, Warm Heart provided seed, inoculant, training, and field support. This quarter, the farmers are harvesting their crop and beginning repayment in groundnuts.

The project demonstrates how biochar training can become a foundation for broader livelihood opportunities, helping farmers organize, access markets, and build greater economic independence.

Kenya

The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) project continues to grow. The team is now producing and selling frass, larvae, and dried pupae for agricultural use. Demand is increasing as farmers look for locally produced alternatives to expensive commercial inputs.

One organization has begun trials combining BSF frass and biochar as a soil amendment.

We are eager to follow the results and learn whether the combination can further improve soil health and crop production while creating additional market opportunities for smallholder farmers. 

Farmer Peter has been using biochar for the last five years in his fields and has built enough capacity to sell into the local markets.  His buyers come to his fields and pick their fresh greens for resale.

Thanks to your ongoing support, our farmers are expanding to higher-value crops and improved methods to increase their incomes and ensure the soils stay healthy.

Best wishes for a great summer!

With gratitude,

Dana, Michael, Evelind, and the Warm Heart East Africa Biochar Team

Links:

• Biochar In Africa
• Kenya Biochar Program
• Malawi Biochar

2026 is shaping up to be an important year for our East Africa programs. We began the year by appointing a Regional Director for East Africa. John Mayieka joins us with experience in biochar systems and smallholder income-generating initiatives.

Based in Kenya, John is working closely with our Kenya and Malawi teams to strengthen strategy, coordination, and program planning across the region.

Our Verifier/Trainer teams in both countries recently completed in-person surveys with 100 farmers to better understand how biochar is being used and what outcomes farmers are experiencing.

As we look ahead, we are taking a careful look at our constituencies to ensure that our programs are truly helping smallholder farmers improve their livelihoods.

Biochar remains the foundation of our work, and farmers continue to respond positively.

Strategy Renewal: What Does Success Look Like?

As we update our strategic plan, we are clarifying what “winning” means for Warm Heart in East Africa.

We aspire to enable smallholder farmers in Kenya and Malawi to move beyond subsistence toward resilience and opportunity, using biochar as a foundation for:

• Improved soil health and crop yields

• Reduced dependence on expensive external inputs, especially fertilizer

• Greater food security and income stability

• Increased farmer confidence, agency, and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing

We know we are succeeding when:

• Farmers adopt biochar voluntarily and continue using it independently

• Farmers see measurable improvements in yields, costs, and livelihoods

• Households begin generating surplus — food, income, and time — beyond basic survival

• We can demonstrate impact through data, case studies, and farmer testimony

The recent survey data will guide how we prioritize programs for the year ahead. We are also working to establish a more standardized set of regional metrics so that we can consistently measure adoption, yield changes, cost savings, income impact, and farmer progression across Kenya, Malawi, and the DRC.

On the Ground

In addition to biochar training, and as the budget allows, our teams are mentoring farmers to extend biochar use into livestock systems and orchard production.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

Training continues in areas outside of active conflict. In January, the team completed the purchase of 50 hectares of land in Musumbu village. Biochar training in Musumbu and follow-up visits to the cocoa project on Musuku Mountain took place January 4–9 and February 1–6, 2026.

The team is:

• Germinating cocoa seedlings

• Weeding cassava and bananas

• Planting cocoa and fruit trees

• Using biochar to improve soil structure and moisture retention

In nearby Mulo village, Father Kambale Mbasuvyaki Baudouin is conducting weekly biochar training and follow-up sessions. He recently trained a group of secondary students from Graben near Lake Albert. The cocoa farm is also serving as a practical demonstration site for farmers in surrounding communities.

Kenya

Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming is progressing steadily. The team is working to secure a consistent supply of food waste from restaurants and open markets to increase larvae production to volumes that can meet local buyer demand. Strengthening this supply chain will be key to scaling the program sustainably.

Malawi

BSF production is recovering and expanding. Replacement chickens have been delivered to our pilot farmers who are integrating biochar into their fields and will soon incorporate BSF into poultry feed. This pilot will help us measure feed cost reductions and bird health improvements before expanding further.

As we move forward, we are balancing continued training with deeper follow-up and stronger measurement. With high farmer interest and clearer strategic focus, 2026 will be a year of consolidation, learning, and targeted growth.

Your continued support makes this work possible. Contributions help us expand farmer mentoring, strengthen our measurement systems, and reach villages that are currently on our waiting list.

Thank you for making this happen.

With appreciation,
Dana, Michael, Evelind, and the East Africa Biochar Team