Kenya’s High Court has issued a landmark ruling that restores seed sovereignty to millions of smallholder farmers. The court declared certain punitive sections of the Seed and Plant Varieties Act unconstitutional. However, this victory comes after years of organising, advocacy, and grassroots efforts, much of which was supported by the Greenpeace Africa Foundation. Farmers credit this organisation for giving them the platform, confidence, and visibility needed to challenge unfair laws.
Farmers across rural Kenya celebrated the ruling as both a significant legal and cultural shift. Veronica Kibuino, a smallholder farmer from Baringo, expressed that the judgment ends decades of fear and marginalisation. “Most smallholder farmers cannot afford the seeds from the agro-vet,” she said. “Our seeds were treated as inferior, yet they are our heritage. Without seeds, you can’t eat.”
She pointed out that previous regulations hurt rural households. “If your mother had no seeds, she couldn’t plant because you were not allowed to exchange or share. That caused a very big threat to food security.”
Farmer Veronica Kalondu from machakos stressed the vital role of the Greenpeace Foundation in making to ensure their voices reached the courts and lawmakers. “Greenpeace has given me the power to defend our rights as farmers. They helped us speak out and be heard. Without them, many of us would never have reached this point.”
The scientific value of indigenous seeds was highlighted by Gideon Muya, Programs Officer at the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya. “Indigenous seeds are the library of life. They hold the genetic diversity we need to withstand droughts, pests, and a rapidly changing climate.”
Court of appeal halts GMO imports: A victory for Kenyan farmers- Greenpeace Africa
Lead petitioner Samuel Wathome explained how the old laws punished traditional practices. “We have always bred, stored, and shared our own seeds. But the law punished us for doing what our grandmothers taught us.” He noted that local varieties often fare better in drought conditions than commercial seeds.
The court also criticised provisions that let seed inspectors raid farmers, confiscate their seed stocks, and prevent them from selling or even planting their own harvested seeds.
Justice Rhoda Rutto’s ruling not only challenges corporate control over Kenya’s seed sector but also confirms that Farmer-Managed Seed Systems are a constitutional right.
As Kenya prepares to update its agricultural policies in line with the ruling, the Greenpeace Foundation and its partners are urging the Ministry of Agriculture to officially recognise and protect the nation’s indigenous seed systems. This will help ensure that the future of food remains securely in the hands of the farmers who nourish the country.
