Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has warned farmers against buying seeds from untrusted dealers as the Government moves to crack down on the sale of counterfeit planting materials.
Kagwe said fake seeds were leaving farmers with huge losses after spending money preparing their farms, only to discover months later that the seeds they planted would not produce a crop.
He spoke during an assessment tour of farms and agricultural activities in Eldoret, Nandi and Trans Nzoia counties.
The CS said some farmers only realise they have been conned five or six months after planting, when their crops fail and there is little they can do to recover their money.
He has now directed security agencies to go after dealers involved in the sale and distribution of fake seeds.
Kagwe said the Government could not allow the illegal trade to continue at a time when Kenya was already facing pressure on maize production.
“Maize producers play a critical role in feeding the country and supporting the economy, making Government intervention necessary as drought continues to affect production in some regions,” he said.
The CS also wants Parliament to consider tougher measures against dealers of counterfeit seeds.
He called on MPs to support legislation that would classify the sale of fake seeds as an economic crime, saying the effects go beyond individual farmers and could hurt the country’s food supply.
Farmers have been advised to check where they buy their seeds and deal with recognised sellers.
Kagwe specifically urged them to use certified seeds from institutions such as Kenya Seed Company and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO).
This is amid Kenya’s preparations for potential shortfall in the maize crop due to poor production in some parts of the nation.
The 2026 crop suffered when rains occurred much earlier than expected and there was a long dry spell during critical phases of crop development.
On August 11, the Government stated that it plans to import one million bags of maize weighing 90 kilograms each to help bolster strategic stocks.
According to Kagwe, Kenya may face a shortfall in as much as 5.4 million bags of 90-kilograms each by September end.
The anticipated shortfall has brought new worries over prices and availability of maize in the coming months.
Sammy Chepsiror, CEO of Kenya Seed Company, however, assured farmers that there was no cause for alarm regarding shortages of authentic seeds.
He said that there was enough stock of seeds in the country and that the subsidy program introduced by the government helped many farmers get their seeds and produce.
Chepsiror went ahead to state that last year’s commercial maize crop stood at about 70 million bags of 90-kilogram each.
For farmers preparing for the next season, the advice from the Ministry of Agriculture is straightforward: knowing where the seed comes from might be what separates a good harvest from no harvest at all.