Ecology-based Climate Resilient Innovation for Sustainable Vegetable Intensification in Eastern Africa (EcoVeg4Africa)

project summary

We will develop and test a nature-based, climate-smart method for growing vegetables in Ethiopia and Kenya, known as Vegetable-Integrated Push–Pull Technology (VIPPT). The goal is to help smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, reduce crop losses due to harmful crop pests, use fewer or no hazardous pesticides, improve soil health, and earn more from safer, more nutritious produce. By the end of the project, we expect VIPPT to reduce pest damage by approximately one-third, increase marketable yields by at least 20%, and improve key soil health indicators. We will also produce practical farmer packs and extension guidelines, as well as policy briefs for counties and ministries, and train 6 PhD and 8 MSc students to sustain the work.

VIPPT pairs local and high-value vegetables with carefully chosen companion plants. Some companions repel pests within the crop (“push”), while border plants attract pests away (“pull”). These combinations also support beneficial insects, protect soils, and make better use of water and nutrients.

We will co-design VIPPT with farmers, extension officers, and local authorities in “Living Labs” across contrasting agro-ecological zones. Promising crop–companion pairs will first be screened in greenhouses to understand how plant scents and natural compounds influence pests and beneficial insects, as well as how soils respond. The best options will then be field-tested over multiple seasons on farms and at research stations. Alongside agronomy, we will assess household economics and diet quality, and work with public and private partners to enable supply and policy uptake.