Soil health is the sustained ability of soil to function as a vital ecosystem that supports plants, animals, and humans. Conventional agricultural practices, such as intensive tillage and monocropping, degrade soils by depleting organic matter, causing erosion, and reducing biodiversity. Agroforestry systems, by contrast, mimic natural ecosystems and offer a viable solution to restore and protect this crucial resource. The purpose of this review was to explore agroforestry’s effects on soil health in the context of sustainable agriculture. By restoring and building soil health, the review revealed that agroforestry provides a solution to combat soil degradation, enhance biodiversity, and increase agricultural sustainability. Benefits to soil are diverse and include improving its physical, chemical, and biological aspects, which boosts ecosystem services and resilience. Despite its clear advantages, agroforestry has not been widely adopted. Challenges to adoption include time lag for trees to mature, insecure land tenure and lack of expertise and institutional support. Overcoming these barriers through supportive policies, financial incentives and farmer participatory approaches offers clear pathways towards more resilient and profitable farming systems. This will require site-specific studies to optimize species selection and system designs compatible with local conditions. Long-term agroforestry success is determined by aligning site-specific conditions (soil, slope, climate) with appropriate species selection, expert management, and farmer knowledge. In conclusion, intentionally combining trees and crops provides a powerful solution for building resilient soil ecosystems and ensuring agricultural sustainability.

Background: Sorghum is an important source of fodder in the semi-arid areas of Kenya. However, its biomass yield has remained low due to the low soil moisture content which is associated with low rainfall. Objective: To evaluate the synergistic effects of combining rainwater harvesting practices on biomass yield and the morphometric traits of sorghum in semi-arid Kitui County. Methodology: The study was conducted in a randomized complete block design under rainfed conditions between March and August 2021 at the Research Farm of South Eastern Kenya University. It had twelve treatments, including three farming systems (conventional flat planting, ridge and furrow, and zai pits) with three soil mulching types (transparent plastic film mulch, black plastic film mulch, and grass mulch). The farming systems without mulching were used as control treatments. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were separated using Fisher’s protected Least Significant Difference test at 0.05 %. Results: The zai pits with black plastic film mulch and flat planting with grass mulch had the highest and lowest moisture content of 68.65% and 52.5% respectively compared to flat planting. The highest biomass yield was observed in ridge-furrow with black plastic film mulch (3283.33kg ha-1) and ridge–furrow with transparent plastic film mulch (3266.03) and was not significantly different. The lowest biomass yield was recorded in conventional flat planting and zai pits and was not significantly different. In all treatments, there was a significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) in morphometric traits. Implications: The farming system and the type of soil mulching determined the increase of soil moisture content, biomass yield, and morphometric traits. Conclusion: Combining ridge-furrow and black plastic mulch is recommended to improve the biomass yield of sorghum in semi-arid Kitui County, and other areas with similar agroecological conditions.

Although Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) is a multipurpose tree with remarkable nutritional and therapeutic benefits, it is undervalued and neglected in Kenya, as the local people associate it with famine and poverty. The present study aims to assess and document the traditional knowledge on use and management as well as production constraints of the species among the Mijikenda community in Kilifi County, Kenya. We found that the plant is locally used as food and medicine for various ailments, including diabetes, high blood pressure, ulcers, stomach aches, and body pains. In addition, the plant is used for fencing and as a source of fuel. Watering and pruning were found to be the main management practices of the plant. Slightly more than half (51.3%) of the respondents reported pests as a constraint in growing the plant, while the bitter taste (60.5%) and small leaves (36.8%) were deterrents to its consumption and harvesting, respectively. More than half (55.3%) of the respondents had between one and five trees in their compounds, indicating a low preference for the plant compared to major crops. The plant species is undervalued compared to locally grown major crops, highlighting the need for concerted efforts to raise awareness of its potential benefits and address the production challenges.