• The commissioner has requested the farmers to be vigilant, especially this planting season, while buying the seeds to avoid any counterfeits, reminding them that the County and National governments are supplying quality fertilizers to the farmers.

Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and Nakuru multi-security agencies have seized counterfeit (6213) maize seed variety worth Ksh 13 million in Nakuru County.

During a press briefing on March 21, 2024, Nakuru County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara said that they received a tipoff from members of the public, suspecting an illegal seed business that was being carried out in one of the timber yard companies in Njoro Sub County.

After the investigations, they arrived at the scene, where they arrested the suspect, Mr Stephen Gicharu, and found 30,000 seed packages, 101kg of treated maize that was ready to be sold to the farmers, dressing seed machine, 18 bags of untreated maize, 34,780 counterfeit Kenya Seed stickers and other stuff needed for seed processing.

Seed packages found at the scene. (Photo/Courtesy: Ruth Ng'ang'a)

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The commissioner has requested the farmers to be vigilant, especially this planting season, while buying the seeds to avoid any counterfeits, reminding them that the County and National governments are supplying quality fertilizers to the farmers.

“Members of the public should keep up the efforts as we work together with the administration. You should also be vigilant on fake fertilizers and seeds,” he said.

Mr. Simon Maina, KEPHIS acting Director, confirmed that the apprehended seeds are the leading variety hybrid, which is suitable in high-altitude areas and has the potential to provide good produce to feed the nation, and the counterfeit seed could have done considerable damage if it could have reached to the farmers.

"The counterfeit seeds could have been planted on about 6,000 acres of land which could have caused a lot of damage to the farmers, “he said.

He has given directions to the farmers that before they buy any seed from any outlet, they should check the sticker on the package, which is scratchable and contains all the right information if the seed is genuine, unlike the counterfeit that is almost the same but unscratchable.

Mr. Simon has assured the farmers that KEPHIS has taken the initiative across the nation by sending their officers to ensure that all the seeds in the outlets are genuine and original from Kenya Seed Company.

Any person producing seeds in Kenya, whether a private or public company, should be registered, processed, and certified by KEPHIS. The distributors of the seed or stockiest should be registered and licensed by KEPHIS, and before a farmer buys the seeds should ask for the license.

If there are any suspicions after examining the packet, check on the genuine KEPHIS sticker, scratch it, and send the message to the number provided there for verification. One should keep the receipt and the seed packet until the produce is harvested just in case the seed does not perform as well as expected for complaint.