Govt reviewing the National Seed Policy » Capital News

NAKURU, Kenya, Apr 28 – The government is in the reviewing the National Seed Policy to pave way for the legalisation of the informal seed sector, a senior scientist at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) has said.

Genetic Resource Research Institute (GeRRI) Director, Desterio Nyamongo said the informal seed sector would be graduated to Farmer Managed Seed System once the government finalised the review.

He said the Seed and Plant Variety Act would be amended after the review to accommodate the existence of informal seed sector which actually serves almost 80 per cent of the country’s seed industry.

Speaking in Nakuru during a public consultation forum on Conservation, Access and Benefit Sharing regulations under the Seed and Variety Act, Nyamongo said the revision was meant to offer guidance and ensure that informal seed sector thrived.

He said the forum was set out to sensitise farmers on the regulations being developed to govern access, conservation, use and sharing of benefits that accrue from the utilisation of plant genetic resources that emanate from food and agriculture.

“The current policy recognises the informal seed sector what the ongoing amendments will to do is to establish legislative systems which will guide on quality to ensure it works,” he said.

He said the provision in the current act was not targetted to limit farmers from selling their seeds but to ensure that fake seeds do not thrive in the market.

“The existing provision was innocent although in the process, farmers suffer because they cannot exchange their materials freely,” said Nyamongo.

He noted that there was a gap in the Act because it prohibited packaging and selling of uncertified seeds adding the law was being renogotiated to address it (the gap).

“The main fear is the transfer of pests and diseases once farmers are allowed to freely exchange seeds but is will addressed in the proposed amendments,” he said.

Seed Savers Network Kenya Communications Officer, Tabitha Munyiri said Conservation, Access and Benefit sharing regulations are set to ensure farmers benefit from conserving agro-biodiversity.

“We have had instances in the past where breeders from local and international organisations go to farmers, pick up seeds and other genetic materials for commercialisation but farmers do not benefit in any way,” she said.

Munyiri hoped that under Farmer Managed Seed System, farmers would directly benefit from their seeds through commercialisation.

Francis Ngiri, an organic farmer from Kiptangwanyi area of Gilgil Sub-County expressed his joy over the involvement of farmers in the regulation making process.

“In the past, farmers used to hear that laws have been passed and they did not understand how they were arrived at,” he said.

He said the Conservation, Access, Exchange, Use and Benefit Sharing is being revised to be in line with the law and termed it as a good gesture because farmers would benefit from selling their seeds.

Ngiri allayed fears of spreading pests and diseases saying that most of their material have been past through generations for centuries without incidences.

He said seed manufacturers and scientist have been using farmers genetic materials without Prior Informed Consent and proceeded to patent them.

“Farmers have lost many seeds and people were patenting them for their own commercial benefits,” he added.