The government and stakeholders in the agriculture sector are advocating for the production and adoption of climate-smart seed varieties that are drought-resistant to adapt to climate change and enhance food security.
The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) Director of Seed Certification and Plant Variety Protection, Simon Maina, reported that in 2024, 37% of newly released seed varieties were climate-smart, indicating the growing demand for resilience in farming.
Maina explained that the country currently produces around 50,000 metric tonnes of certified seed annually, with over 200 registered seed companies, about 70 of which actively deal in crops like cereals, pulses, and horticultural products.
Over the past decade, Kenyan breeders have developed drought-tolerant varieties of crops like maize, sweet potatoes, cassava, and sorghum, along with maize varieties resistant to Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) and Fall Armyworm (FAW).
Maina said that KEPHIS is currently reviewing the National Seed Policy (2010), which promotes the availability of high-quality seeds through both public and private sector involvement.
The Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK) and the Plant Breeders Association of Kenya (PBAK) represent seed merchants and breeders, respectively, and are key members of committees that shape seed-related policies, explained Maina.
The Centre for Resilient Agriculture for Africa Director Dr. Stephen Mugo highlighted that Kenya has made significant progress in the seed sector, but misinformation about seeds continues to hinder the acceptance of improved, climate-smart crops.
It is crucial for stakeholders to collaborate and invest in addressing these misconceptions to ensure the country’s agricultural growth and food security, said Dr. Mugo
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