Sustainable Oxen Ploughing as a Pathway to a Regenerative Farming Future

On Wednesday, 15^th April 2026, the main hall at Okere City became a space of energy, curiosity, and shared purpose. A total of 125 farmers—83 women and 42 men from the Okere Shea Farmers’ Cooperative Society—gathered not just to learn, but to take part in shaping a new model of farming for their community.

This was more than training. It was part of a growing movement—one rooted in regenerative agriculture, where farmers are not only improving their yields but also restoring the land and earning from it in new ways.

Our sustainable oxen-ploughing initiative sits within a broader regenerative agriculture project designed to support farmers across the shea belt to adopt sustainable practices that improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and strengthen resilience to climate change.

Through a carbon insetting project implemented in partnership with Forested and supported by amika, farmers will earn carbon credits for adopting practices such as tree planting, soil conservation, and sustainable land management. In simple terms this project believes that good farming is no longer just good for the land—it is also financially rewarding.

Relearning the Strength of the Ox

The day began with a return to a familiar tool—the ox plough—but with a renewed perspective. Farmers in Okere rely on oxen ploughing as the backbone for meaningful agricultural production, and even as a source of income through engaging in animal traction as a business. However, farmers in Okere often fail to maximize the potential of oxen ploughing because they use traditional and inappropriate tools, and often, they do not take good care of the oxen to enable them stay healthy and perform efficiently.

During the workshop, farmers explored how proper technique, alignment, and handling can transform ploughing from a routine activity into a precise and efficient practice. Straight furrows, proper depth, and safe handling are not just technical details—they directly influence crop performance and labor efficiency.

Alongside this, participants learned how to identify the right oxen for farm work—looking beyond size to assess strength, temperament, health, and endurance. It was a reminder that traditional systems, when refined with knowledge, can become powerful tools for modern agriculture.

The Yoke: Where Innovation Meets Practice

If the morning built understanding, the afternoon built skill. The remaining hours of the training were dedicated entirely to a practical experiment—one that brought farmers out of observation and into action. Working together, participants designed, crafted, and fitted yokes with their own hands. They learned how to:

·       Select appropriate materials

·       Shape and assemble the yoke

·       Ensure proper fitting to avoid injuring the ox

·       Adjust alignment for efficient pulling

The atmosphere shifted from listening to doing. Laughter, concentration, and collaboration filled the space as farmers tested their creations and refined their techniques.

Mustapha Oleke, a farmer who had participated in the 2025 edition of the workshop and got his modern yoke attested that the tool was easier farmer to use, lighter for the oxen to carry and perform efficiently.

Scaling Access: Yokes on Credit, Paid Through Carbon

The practical session also marked the beginning of a larger rollout. Over the course of this year, 100 yokes will be produced and distributed to farmers. But the model is intentionally designed to be inclusive and sustainable:

·       Farmers will receive the yokes on credit

·       Repayment will be made after they begin earning carbon credits through the regenerative agriculture program

·       This approach removes immediate financial barriers while linking access to tools directly with long-term environmental and economic benefits.

·       It is a system built on trust, accountability, and shared progress.

A Different Kind of Agriculture

What is unfolding in Okere is not just an improvement in farming techniques. It is the emergence of a different kind of agricultural system—one that:

·       Restores the land instead of degrading it

·       Values traditional knowledge while embracing innovation

·       Connects rural farmers to global climate solutions

·       Rewards sustainability through carbon markets

The Beginning of a Regenerative Economy

As farmers left the hall and the yoke production workstation that day, they carried more than new skills. They carried a new understanding of what their oxen could do and their farms can become. They understood that their gardens and bulls are no longer just factors of production, but they are ecosystems, assets, and pathways to opportunity.

And through this work—together with Forested and amika—Okere is planting the seeds of something bigger: A future where farming restores the earth, empowers communities, and creates lasting prosperity - one yoke, two Oxen, one farmer, one household, one garden - at a time!