Kenya’s community seed banks boost climate resilience

Across several rural regions, the impacts of climate change on agriculture are disrupting planting cycles, reducing yields, and increasing the vulnerability of small-scale farmers. The El Niño floods in Kenya in 2023/2024 offer a striking example: torrential rainfall submerged already fragile farmland and destroyed the remaining crops. In parts of the country’s northwest — especially in the counties of Turkana and Baringo — many families were left fully dependent on humanitarian assistance.

In this context of growing uncertainty, farmer-managed seed systems play a central role in climate adaptation. Farmer-managed seeds – selected, preserved, and exchanged across generations – tend to be better suited to local ecosystems and climate stress than standardized commercial seeds.

Access to diverse and climate-adapted seeds helps communities rapidly restore agricultural production after a crisis. More importantly, it strengthens long-term climate resilience by increasing crop diversity and reducing dependence on external seed supply chains.

Emergency seed distribution was a key component of the EmergenSeed project. Implemented in partnership with the Seed Savers Network, the initiative aimed to support rural communities affected by El Niño in 2024.

Through emergency seed packages, vulnerable households received seeds adapted to local conditions, including maize, sorghum, millet, beans, cowpeas, and, in some cases, sweet potato cuttings. These climate-adapted crops are essential for rebuilding agricultural production after floods and other weather-related disruptions.

To further strengthen local seed access, seed fairs were also organized. Leading farmers who multiplied seeds between seasons were able to sell surpluses to other families in the region. Nearly seven tonnes of seeds changed hands through this short supply chain — supporting local markets and reinforcing community autonomy rather than long-term dependence on external support.

The results were highly encouraging: some farmers harvested 11 to 15 bags of maize from only half an acre, demonstrating the effectiveness of local seed varieties when aligned with local climate conditions.

Beyond emergency response, EmergenSeed contributes to a broader strategy aimed at rebuilding seed sovereignty and ensuring preparedness for future climate crises. Community seed banks in Kenya were established or strengthened to secure seed stocks for future seasons and reduce the vulnerability of smallholder farmers.

More than 1,000 seed varieties have now been stored across 140 community seed banks, 13 of which have been restored as part of the project. These decentralized seed systems help mitigate risks linked to pests, diseases, and crop failure. “In a situation where only one person is producing and sharing seeds, if his variety gets infected then all farmers will suffer the fate but the diversity of seed stocks in farmer-managed seed systems provide some degree of cushion against such occurrences”, explains Daniel Wanjama, CEO of Seed Savers Network. A reality echoed by many farmers: “Previously we would get seeds in large quantities and all of us would plant them. If the seeds had a poor germination rate or if they were not adapted to this environment, we would all face crop failure, leaving the community in a worse position” says a farmer.

The development of community seed banks also includes practical training on seed saving and seed exchange, seed multiplication, and traditional conservation methods passed down through generations. In Turkana and Baringo, 20 demonstration plots were established to showcase carefully selected seed varieties adapted to different local climate zones. As drought remains a critical challenge in these areas, the plots feature drought-resistant crops capable of growing with limited water availability.

“I planted green grams accessed through our community seed bank. Despite occasional water shortages, I harvested five bags, which I sold through the voucher system during the seed fair. I received 150,000 KES (900 CHF) from this sale”, explains a farmer from Baringo.

At national level, the importance of farmer-managed seed systems has also gained legal recognition. In November 2025, a landmark decision by Kenya’s High Court ruled the section of the Seed and Plant Varieties Act that criminalized the saving, exchange, and sale of farmer-managed seeds as unconstitutional.

This ruling recognizes seed saving as a legitimate and fundamental practice — not a criminal offense — and creates a more supportive environment for agroecology in Kenya and farmer-led seed systems. It opens political space for seed governance that is fairer, more diverse, and better aligned with the realities of climate change.