Kenyan Farmers Use Traditional Seeds to Combat Hunger and Climate Change

Community Seed Banks

• 💡 Martha Enjena, a farmer and seed advocate in Kamaltata, Kenya, is teaching traditional seed preservation methods.
• 🤝 These methods empower villagers to save and replant seeds, fostering community seed banks.
• 🎯 Community seed banks ensure farmers access seeds when needed, providing a crucial resource during dry seasons when crops are lost and money is scarce.

Resilience and Adaptation

• 🌱 Local farmers are storing and sharing indigenous seeds better suited to their environment, creating a grassroots solution.
• 🌍 This approach builds autonomy and resilience against worsening drought and unpredictable weather caused by climate change.
• 📈 Farmers are increasingly choosing traditional varieties over commercial seeds due to rising prices and unpredictable performance.

Benefits of Indigenous Varieties

• 🌾 Indigenous seeds offer greater resilience and can be harvested year-round, unlike single-harvest crops like maize or beans.
• 📅 Varieties such as arrow roots can provide a continuous food source throughout the year.

Seed Laws and Informal Exchanges

• ⚖️ Kenyan law has banned the sale of uncertified seeds since 2012, aiming to protect farmers and improve yields.
• 🚫 Despite the ban, farmers are actively organizing informal seed exchanges to share these vital resources.