This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
On July 30, 2019, the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) cautioned farmers in Busia County against purchasing seeds from Uganda without approval from the agency.
Speaking during a Farmers Field Day in Nambale Constituency, Kephis Managing Director Esther Kimani emphasized the importance of buying certified seeds locally to avoid risks associated with uncertified seeds.
Kimani noted that some seeds imported from Uganda had not been approved as safe for planting, putting farmers at risk of incurring significant losses.
She warned that importers of uncertified seeds would be prosecuted if found, and also cautioned local sugar factories against smuggling canes.
According to Kimani, raw materials or seeds entering the country from Uganda must undergo verification at the border to ensure they are free from diseases.
Busia County is a border region, and some farmers have been crossing into Uganda to buy seeds at a lower price compared to local agrovets.
Wangwe, the chairman of the agriculture committee in the national assembly, urged police to intensify border patrols to prevent the smuggling of maize through ungazetted routes.
The county executive committee member for agriculture, Moses Osia, pledged to work closely with Kephis to prevent the influx of uncertified seeds and promote the use of fast-maturing rice varieties introduced by the agency.
