Introduction

As I was driving through the countryside in rural Malawi with one of my colleagues, I couldn’t help but notice how dry and lifeless the fields had become. Everywhere I looked, the land was barren and tired, and the farmers around had very little hope left. 

We spoke with several farmers that day, but one woman stood out. She told us she had given up on her small plot next to the house—about 30 by 40 m. Nothing would grow anymore, not even with chemical fertilizer. Her plan was to leave the land fallow for a few years and hope for better days.

That conversation opened the door. I introduced her to the idea that soil restoration is possible—not over decades like in the forest, but within a few seasons—by using natural systems inspired by the forest. She was willing to try. We began with Gliricidia sepium and simple biomass transfer2 to keep her engaged. In the second year, she added lablab (Lablab purpureus). Just 12 months later, after her first maize harvest, the difference was visible. That success gave her the confidence and excitement to keep going.

Context and need

In Malawi’s southern region, most smallholder farmers are working with less than an acre of land, often relying entirely on maize or another cereal grain to feed their families. Farming is largely subsistence-based, and the pressure on land is enormous. Years of continuous cropping and soil disturbance without conservation measures have led to severe erosion and degradation. One recent study estimated that 30 tons of topsoil per hectare are lost each season—a staggering loss that has pushed some farmers to give up on their land entirely (Chinseu, 2021; Troosters et al., 2024).

What remains is often subsoil and clay, which struggle to support healthy crops, even with the application of fertilizer. Farmers are seeing firsthand that chemical fertilizer alone no longer works. Meanwhile, composting—though widely promoted—is labor intensive, costly, and often impractical due to lack of organic materials, low perceived return, and the amount needed to grow healthy crops. In many areas, free-grazing livestock make dry-season soil cover nearly impossible without fencing or bylaws, which are rarely enforced.

At the core, the crisis is about organic matter, our soil sponge—its loss and the urgent need to bring it back. And the most practical way to do that, especially for low-resource farmers, is to grow it themselves, in the same field they grow their crops (Lal, 2015). 

That’s where green manure/cover crop (GM/CC) systems come in. By intercropping fast-growing annual legumes and trees—such as gliricidia, lablab, or pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan)—farmers can rebuild organic matter, improve soil fertility, suppress weeds, grow firewood and more food, among many other benefits, on the same amount of land. When framed in a way that connects with their challenges and aspirations, this approach makes sense—and farmers are ready to grow cover crops.

Across our region, hundreds of farmers have now adopted gliricida/GMCC and similar regenerative systems. Some are already reporting that they’ve eliminated the need for chemical fertilizer and even compost—relying solely on biomass from trees like gliricidia. We’re seeing these systems spread from one village to the next, driven by word of mouth and visible impact.

Description of the system

This regenerative system was piloted with a woman farmer whose land had become nearly unusable due to extreme compaction (resistance to penetration ranging from 1.73 to 3.45 Mp [250-500 psi]) and soil degradation from raindrop impact and the effects of erosion and tillage. Many areas in Malawi face similar conditions. Our goal was to introduce a regenerative process that would help her restore soil fertility using accessible, scalable methods.

Step-by-Step explanation

Understanding the problem and taking ownership

We began by walking the farmer through the root causes of the land’s condition — erosion and land overuse. It was important to frame this not as an external curse or the mysteries of climate change, but as an outcome of ignorance that could be reversed and fixed through knowledge and action. 

Training and orientation

We organized a small community training, using photos and real-life examples to introduce regenerative principles like living roots and intense biomass production. The farmer gathered neighbors, and we kept things informal but focused.

Nursery establishment

We supplied gliricidia seed, nursery tubes, and basic training. The nursery was started about 3 months before the rains typically begin (around September in Malawi). We stressed regular watering and follow-up to ensure germination and seedling success.

Field preparation and tree planting

Once seedlings were ready, we conducted another training to prepare planting stations. Farmers used hoes and body references to space cereal planting stations ~75cm rows, ~50cm in-row (Figure 3), and ~15 cm deep. We placed a big handful of gliricidia leaves into each hole, buried under 5 cm of soil. The leaves were added 2–3 weeks before planting. 

Gliricidia management

Trees were planted at 3 m intervals (Figure 3). We taught the difference between pollarding and coppicing,3 recommending pollarding above head-height for managing shade, space, and competition considerations. Early management included pruning horizontal bush branches and shaping the tree to regulate shade and promote biomass growth. 

Biomass transfer for first year

Because the farmer had no established trees, we used biomass transfer from nearby gliricidia trees during the first cropping season (Figure 4). This maintained her motivation while waiting for her trees to mature.

Intercropping with lablab

In the second season, she intercropped lablab (Figure 5) which improved nitrogen fixation, added a living mulch, and added another harvestable crop. We also trained her in cooking with lablab leaves. However, livestock pressure was a challenge, especially in the dry season.

Ongoing use and scaling

By year two, the farmer was producing about 75% of her nitrogen needs from her own trees. She was able to prune and use leaves directly in planting stations and as top dressing. She filled in gaps with new seedlings and began inspiring other farmers around her.

Materials or preparation needed 

• Gliricidia sepium seeds or cuttings
• Lablab seed
• Nursery tubes
• Water source for seedlings
• Hoes or digging tools for planting stations

Challenges and adjustments

• 

  Tree mortality: Some seedlings failed and were replaced in year two
• Livestock pressure: Lablab was eaten by goats during dry season
• Initial labor demand: Regular visits and follow-up were critical for success
• Management complexity: Densely planted trees needed careful pruning (Figure 6)
• Mindset changes: The farmer needed deep explanation and time to understand and build up motivation to take the risk and try something new and unknown. 

Despite these, the farmer succeeded in the beginning process of restoring her land. Her yield improved, her neighbors took notice, and the system is now spreading organically.

Results and impact

We noticed obvious improvements in plant growth, soil fertility, and farmer economic improvement. By 24 months, the farmer was able to grow enough of her own nitrogen to meet 75% of her crop’s needs using gliricidia leaves alone — a major advantage in a context where fertilizer is often expensive or unavailable. Since she continued using consistent planting stations and biomass incorporation, she also maintained and even enhanced fertility year after year (Figure 7).

But beyond the physical transformation, we saw a powerful emotional shift. She had hope again. Her excitement was visible, and excitement like that is contagious. Without any formal prompting, she and a few neighbors formed what they began calling an “Innovation Club.” They were inspired to experiment, share results, and support one another in continuing with regenerative practices. This unprompted action was a strong sign to us that the technology was working—not just agronomically, but socially and psychologically as well.

Of course, there were still challenges. Nothing worth doing comes without effort. That’s why we always start by helping farmers understand the long-term problem and set realistic expectations. Regeneration takes time and patience, and there’s no simple fix. But the harder, and more creative we work, the faster we’ll see the rewards—and the better those rewards will be.

Part of our work is to help farmers rediscover joy in agriculture. Because while everyone in the village may farm, not everyone loves farming. Our goal is to find and empower those who see agriculture as more than survival — those who are in awe of the miracle of a seed that dies and rises to produce food. Those are the people who will carry these systems forward, who will spread them to others, improve them, and who are worth investing in.

Conclusion / Encouragement

One of the key lessons we’ve learned is that farmers need to first understand the root of the problem — how soil infertility developed, and what it will take to reverse it. Once they grasp the idea that they can grow their own organic matter, rebuild their soil, and keep a living mulch year-round, something clicks. The concept that soil is alive — and that living soil is our livelihood — is simple, yet deeply transformative.

That’s why we created our Level One GM/CC system (Figure 8). It’s intentionally simple: one intercropped species, like gliricidia, that is easy to establish, produces intense biomass, and serves many purposes. In the past, we overwhelmed farmers with too much. Now, we start small and build from there.

To others considering this system: give it a try. Start with one species that suits your environment. Adjust as needed—altitude, rainfall patterns, and cultural preferences all matter. But at the heart of it, GM/CC systems are a viable, scalable solution for today’s fertility crisis among small-scale farmers (Bunch and ECHO Staff, 1985). 

Don’t just see this as a soil amendment. Think of it as a doorway into agroforestry, food security, weed control, and climate resilience. Above all, embrace a mindset of experimentation. Expect failure—and use it as a springboard toward long-term thriving.

References