A new report by Greenpeace demonstrates how ecological farming practices, such as agroforestry, water harvesting and organic farming, can provide substantial financial benefits to small-scale farmers when compared with agro-chemicals.

Based on research in Kenya and Malawi, the report - Financial Benefits of Ecological Farming – suggests that Malawian farmers would get an income of $209 million if they adopted agroforestry while Kenyan farmers would earn a total of $2.7 billion each year if they switched to push–pull techniques.

The report recommends the creation of a fully funded Ecological Farming Strategy that includes time-bound targets for phasing out costly chemical input subsidies while drastically increasing support in national budgets for ecological farming. Extension services, agricultural research and rural credit programs would need to undergo a shift to support ecological farming.

International organizations, donors and philanthropies are urged in the report to increase investments in scaling up ecological farming.

“It is time to adopt biodiversity-based tools to control pests and enhance farmlands, ecosystems and our farmers’ health”, said Wanjiru Kamau, Kenyan Organic Agriculture Network (Koan) policy manager.

Read the story in the East African: Greenpeace pushes for return to organic farming

Read the story in MSME News Network: Ecological farming boosting agriculture SMEs

Download the Greenpeace report: Fostering Economic Resilience: Financial Benefits of Ecological Farming