Smallholder farmers sue government over 2012 seed laws

Small holder farmers have sued the government over laws that prohibit farmers from selling and sharing seeds that are not registered or certified. The farmers are drawn from different parts of the country and have termed the Laws contained in the 2012 Seed and Plant Act as punitive and a threat to food security in Kenya. Greenpeace Africa Project Lead Claire Nasike says they want the Act squashed as it favors large scale farmers. The Act prescribes fines of up to one million shillings or a maximum two-year prison sentence to offenders.

According to Greenpeace Africa Many smallholder farmers rely on informal farmer managed seed systems where farmers exchange indigenous seeds with each other to enable food production. Locking farmers out of agriculture by punitive seed laws will reduce agricultural productivity which in turn lowers income and food supply.