In the heart of Kenya, a quiet agricultural revolution is underway, powered by innovation, rooted in sustainability, and driven by local communities. At the forefront of this transformation is Safi Organics, a visionary agribusiness founded by Samuel Rigu, committed to improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers while regenerating the environment.

Safi Organics isn’t just producing fertiliser; it’s building a circular economy for rural agriculture. By converting discarded agricultural biomass like rice husks into carbon-rich biochar-based fertiliser, the company is delivering affordable, high-quality, and climate-smart solutions to farmers, right at the village level. Their decentralised production model not only lowers input costs but also reduces dependency on imported chemical fertilisers, which have become increasingly unaffordable due to global supply chain disruptions.

Branded as Safi Sarvi, their fertiliser is certified by Ecocert and recognised by the Kenya Bureau of Standards. It neutralises soil acidity, retains nutrients, boosts microbial activity, and leads to healthier, more productive soils. The results speak for themselves: over 15,000 smallholder farmers have reported an average 30% increase in crop yields, with lower operational costs and long-term improvements in soil health.

But Safi Organics is not just about better farming—it’s about broader impact. The company has:

• Created over 200 jobs in rural Kenya across biomass collection, production, training, and distribution.
• Upcycled over 30,000 tonnes of agricultural waste.
• Sequestered more than 20,000 tonnes of CO₂, contributing meaningfully to global climate action.
• Enabled farmers to earn carbon credits, unlocking new income streams through emerging carbon markets.

Since its founding in 2015, Safi Organics has consistently reinvested in research and development, exploring new biomass feedstocks and improving their carbon capture capabilities. Their approach is firmly aligned with several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Life on Land (SDG 15).

With support from partners such as Africa Climate Ventures, IFDC, P4G, and Agripride, and recognition from global competitions like the XPRIZE Carbon Removal Challenge, Safi Organics is scaling its operations beyond Kenya, with expansion into Tanzania, Uganda, and India already underway.

Their mission is simple yet profound: to eliminate poverty among rural farmers by making regenerative agriculture not only possible but profitable. At a time when food security, climate resilience, and rural empowerment are more critical than ever, Safi Organics offers a compelling example of what innovation grounded in local knowledge can achieve.

In every bag of fertiliser, there’s more than nutrients, there’s hope, resilience, and a future rooted in African soil.