How Enhanced Rock Weathering Is Changing the Game in Africa
When most people think about fighting climate change, their minds often jump to solar panels, electric cars, or planting trees. But what if the solution was beneath our feet all along?
On a recent episode of the Unlocking Africa podcast, host Tessa Adamu sat down with Sam Davies, the former British Army officer turned climate tech founder, to unpack how enhanced rock weathering (ERW) could be a game-changer for both carbon removal and African agriculture.
Sam is the CEO and co-founder of Flux, a startup that accelerates the Earth’s natural processes to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere—while helping farmers restore their soil and improve their yields.
From Reconnaissance to Regeneration
After serving six years in the British Army and experimenting with freelance filmmaking, Sam found himself craving the same sense of purpose and team-driven mission that the military offered. But this time, the battlefield was climate change. His desire to contribute meaningfully led him to co-found Flux, a company focused on scalable carbon removal through enhanced rock weathering.
"Could I do 40, 50, 60 years of work in this sector? The answer definitely was yes." — Sam Davies
What Is Enhanced Rock Weathering?
It might sound technical, but the core idea is simple: when rain falls, it picks up CO₂ from the air. When it hits certain types of rocks, chemical reactions trap that CO₂ in solid form. This process occurs naturally, capturing about 1 billion tonnes of carbon every year. Flux speeds this up by crushing rocks into powder and spreading them on farmland, where heat, rain, and soil acidity accelerate the process.
The added bonus? These rock powders also enhance soil health, offering micronutrients and balancing pH, which boosts crop yields for farmers.
Why Africa? The Perfect Storm of Opportunity
Sam argues that Africa is the best continent in the world for carbon removal. Why?
Tropical climate: Heat and rain speed up the weathering process.
Acidic soil: Enhance the chemical reaction needed to trap carbon.
Abundant farmland: Especially in places like western Kenya, ideal for deploying ERW at scale.
Untapped workforce: With high youth unemployment, there’s an opportunity to train and employ a new generation of climate workers.
"With carbon removal, it doesn’t matter where we do it, it benefits the entire planet. So why not do it where it creates the most community benefit too?"
A Dual Win: Carbon Capture and Farmer Prosperity
One of Flux’s most compelling achievements is showing that climate action and local development aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, Kenyan farmers reported an average 71% increase in yields after using Flux’s rock powder.
But Flux isn't stopping there. The company is investing in long-term studies to measure how these yield improvements affect communities: school attendance, nutrition, infrastructure and more.
“It’s not a trade-off between climate impact and farmer prosperity. They happen at the same time.”
The Business of Carbon Credits
Flux earns revenue by selling carbon credits, each one representing a verified tonne of CO₂ removed from the atmosphere. Companies like Google, Shopify, Stripe, Klarna, and Spotify have already bought credits from Flux, a major milestone given that most carbon credits today are sourced from the Global North. Verification is done through third-party registries like Isometric or Puro, ensuring transparency and trust.
Scaling Up Through Collaboration
From government partnerships (like their cassava yield project with Nigeria’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Technology) to empowering African entrepreneurs, collaboration is key to Flux’s growth.
“If a quarry owner in Ghana or an entrepreneur in Uganda wants to do enhanced rock weathering, we want to give them the tools to do that.”
Flux plans to focus on building measurement and verification tools, enabling ERW projects across the continent.
What’s Next for Carbon Removal in Africa?
In five years, Sam envisions Africa becoming the world’s largest supplier of carbon removal credits, with trucks distributing rock powder as commonly as fertilizers. And by 2035? African countries may well be leading the global charge in carbon removal innovation.
“Africa will supply most of the world’s carbon removal credits.”
Climate Needs You
Sam’s final message was a poignant one: the fight against climate change needs all hands-on deck. Whether you're a tech expert, farmer, student, or policymaker, your skills and attention matter.
“If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything. We need everyone to stand for climate solutions now.”
Final Thoughts
Flux’s journey is a powerful example of how science, entrepreneurship, and social impact can converge for meaningful change. As Africa continues to rise as a climate innovation hub, companies like Flux are showing that the solutions of tomorrow might just lie in the rocks beneath our feet.
Listen to the full episode of the Unlocking Africa podcast to hear more from Sam Davies on enhanced rock weathering and how Africa can lead the future of climate solutions.
Connect with Terser:
LinkedIn - Terser Adamu
Instagram - unlockingafrica
Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu
Connect with Sam:
LinkedIn - Sam Davies
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