Joe Kariuki’s GPC Carbon Group Wins Prestigious Pan-African Award

Kenyan farming company GPC Carbon Farming Group has won the Global Alliance Agricultural Centre Awards (GLAACA Awards) after being nominated in a field saturated with competitive contenders from across the continent.

The GLAACA Awards, a farmer’s awards platform established in 2016 in Zambia with the aim of recognising rising farmers and rewarding their efforts across Africa, recognised Kenya’s GPC Carbon Group in a field which featured farming outfits drawn from Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria and Mali.

While announcing the results, GLAACA President Evans Kapotwe said that GPC had demonstrated ingenuity, skill and expertise in their farming innovation while also not just feeding local communities but also solving poverty-related conflicts.

“We are happy to announce GPC Carbon Farming Group as the winners. We take great exception to the great work the group has been doing across Kenya in tapping potential, feeding the masses and solving pre-existing tribal conflicts all related to either poverty or lack of resources. GPC has been instrumental in solving the hunger crisis in Kenya as well as continuously solving community troubles by way of offering employment and food too,” he said.

While not present at the award ceremony, held at Lusaka, Zambia, Joe Kariuki, the GPC founder and CEO, acknowledged the honour while also thanking the organisers for the recognition and bestowment of the award.

“I’m grateful for the award. I’m glad that, overall countries, Kenya was chosen as the winner. We have put in a lot of work over the last several years and emerging top just shows that people are taking note of our efforts and recognising our work. This goes to all the Kenyan farmers across all the communities I work with and all the counties, too. We are inspired to press forward and get even better!” Joe Kariuki, the GPC Organic Farming company founder, said.

In late October, thousands of farmers drawn from Laikipia County converged at Thome area in Rumuruti, Laikipia County for a farming sensitization which saw interested people of all walks of life – young and old, men and women – gather to improve their lives and learn a few tricks on new-age farming expertise.

The farmers, who gathered under the auspices of the GPC Organic Farming company, in conjunction with the Signerr Land Share initiative, started trooping to the 10,000-acre farm at around 6 am.

The GPC group, which was launching its innovative first-ever carbon farming initiative in Kenya, was out to introduce the pioneering concept to farmers in areas where tribal clashes, extreme poverty and land injustices have always made the news.

The company is credited with introducing the GPC Biochar fertilizer – the only such type in Kenya – which not only increases microbial activity in the soil but also works in any type of soil to get healthier results with less work.

“I have already captured over 10,000 farmers across the Laikipia and Nyandarua counties. Our target is national – we are looking at over one million farmers now. This is just the beginning. The carbon movement is about to get even crazier,” Joe said at the time.

The farmers will once again converge at the said farm this Saturday, December 2nd, where they will be taken through new-age farming techniques and skills while also being trained on proper conservation of soil, use of Biochar Fertilizer and how to maximise farming as a community. They will also use the day to celebrate the GLAACA Award, which Joe dedicated to them.

“This Saturday’s gathering will be bigger than before. We’ve reached out to thousands of farmers and we are happy with the excitement we’ve seen. We shall also use the day to celebrate the award because it belongs to the people!” Joe said.