KIKUYU, Kenya — Nestled in the verdant, wooded region of Kikuyu town in central Kenya, the National Seed Bank serves an essential purpose in safeguarding the agricultural future of the nation. Within its two cool storage rooms, over 50,000 varieties of seeds are meticulously cataloged and preserved for posterity.
Established in 1988 due to concerns over the loss of traditional seed varieties, particularly exacerbated by climate change, the seed bank’s primary mission is to conserve seeds for research purposes and to reintroduce them to farming practices. “We have realized that many traditional varieties once disregarded are actually more resilient to climate change. When reintroduced, especially in less fertile areas, these seeds often outperform commercially enhanced alternatives,” stated Desterio Nyamongo, the director of the Genetic Resources Research Institute that oversees the bank.
Nyamongo further explained that certain seeds stored within the bank exhibit greater resistance to pests and diseases while also demonstrating higher yields, presenting a beacon of hope for a nation heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture. This dependence increases vulnerability to climate-related occurrences such as droughts and contributes significantly to Kenya’s GDP, accounting for about one-third of it.
Kenya is not alone in grappling with food security challenges. A report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in 2023 indicated that over a billion individuals across Africa struggle to afford nutritious diets, with hunger rates on the rise.
In Kenya specifically, farmers have recently faced substantial financial losses, amounting to millions of shillings (tens of thousands of dollars), stemming from the purchase of counterfeit seeds from private vendors. Acknowledging the importance of the seed industry, officials are advocating for reform.
During Kenya’s maiden international conference on seed quality in August, Paul Rono, the permanent secretary for the agricultural ministry, remarked on the continent’s challenges regarding the production of high-quality certified seeds that adhere to established standards. Stephen Muchiri, leader of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, expressed concerns that declining crop vitality in Kenya is largely due to ineffective seed breeding and propagation methodologies.
Some farmers argue that attempts to enhance the seed system have been undermined by a 2012 law that prohibits seed sharing, a common practice among farmers to reduce planting costs. While the government positions this law as a protective measure against uncertified seeds, it faces litigation from numerous farmers who argue that this mandate places a heavy financial burden on them each planting season. The ongoing court case is set for a hearing in March.
Among the farmers involved in this legal challenge is Francis Ngiri, who operates an indigenous seed bank from his five-acre farm situated in the semi-arid region of Gilgil, approximately 120 kilometers (74 miles) from Nairobi. His efforts have transformed his farm into an educational resource for farmers disillusioned by the performance of hybrid seeds. “Indigenous seeds have consistently demonstrated greater resilience and productivity in our area, even with reduced rainfall,” Ngiri shared.
Ngiri is passionate about teaching others the significance of preserving seeds using traditional strategies, such as applying wood ash to deter pests or storing seeds in clay pots, leveraging materials readily available at no expense.
Maximilla Onyura, a sorghum farmer from the western county of Busia, echoed the sentiment that indigenous crops are crucial for food security. While she is not involved in the legal proceedings, she collaborates with Ngiri through the Seed Savers Network, a local association. “Instead of supporting solutions rooted in indigenous farming practices, the government seems to be clamping down on community-level seed sharing,” she noted.
In Kenya, sharing seeds can result in severe penalties, including up to two years in prison, fines reaching 1 million Kenyan shillings ($7,700), or both—though no farmer has yet faced charges under this law.
The National Seed Bank occasionally distributes seeds from its collection to farmers for free, hoping these age-old varieties, honed by local conditions over time, will exhibit enhanced resilience. Nyamongo asserted that those unable to afford the inputs necessary for hybrid seeds might find better success with traditional varieties. “It is misjudged to consider the use of indigenous seeds as outdated,” he emphasized. “These varieties have adapted to local conditions over generations and thus possess heightened resilience.”
Nyamongo refrained from commenting on the farmers’ lawsuit regarding the seed-sharing ban. Patrick V. Verkooijen, president of the Global Center on Adaptation, a Dutch nonprofit focusing on climate adaptation, advocated for investments in community-based seed initiatives to maintain diversity among indigenous varieties. “Indigenous crops offer numerous advantages, specifically their genetic diversity, which supports farmers in adapting to climate shifts, controlling pests and diseases, and improving poor soil fertility,” he remarked. However, he acknowledged that challenges, such as potentially lower yields or vulnerability to new pests, may arise.
Advocates of indigenous seeds in Kenya, like Ngiri, contend that lower yields and susceptibility issues only surface when a seed variety is removed from its native environment. “These varieties are labeled indigenous precisely because they have acclimated to the climatic challenges and disease pressures of their original location,” he concluded.
