Members of the National Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Livestock have called on the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) to focus on its core mandate of ensuring farmers have certified, high-quality seeds as the planting season begins.
In a meeting chaired by Konoin MP Brighton Yegon, the Members called out KEPHIS for failing in its mandate, disclosing that last year, farmers were duped into buying fake seeds.
Nominated MP Sabina Chege asked the KEPHIS team, led by Nancy Ndumia, the Director of Cooperative Services, to ensure Kenyans feel their mandate is being fulfilled by deploying field inspectors to inspect seeds sold to farmers.
“Last year, we had a lot of fake seeds where people were just doing some colouring in a shopping centre and selling to unsuspecting farmers. I don’t know whether the police made arrests or KEPHIS had a role to play. Mine is for you to focus on your mandate and enhance it, especially with field inspectors. That is where we should see the money going towards. We see the operation cost going up, but does the Mwananchi feel you?” Chege asked.
KEPHIS questioned over quality seeds for farmers
Kanduyi MP John Makali asked KEPHIS what they were doing to enhance their role in ensuring farmers have good-quality, certified seeds, as strengthening seed surveillance and enforcement is among their key areas.
He said, “We are approaching our planting season for maize farmers, and in your description, you describe yourself as the National Designated Authority on seed quality. How do you ensure the farmers have good quality and certified seeds?”
In their response, the KEPHIS director told the Members that they have inspectors randomly visiting agrovets and open-air markets, certifying sold seeds, and, in conjunction with the police, arresting those selling fake seeds.
She added that they also rely heavily on intelligence.
“At trade shows, we show them how to identify genuine seeds packaged in material that includes a scratch card with a code you send to the KEPHIS number for verification and feedback,” Ndumia said.
However, the Committee Members were not satisfied with the response, emphasising that farmers do not feel KEPHIS’s mandate is being fulfilled because its inspectorate officers focus only on border posts rather than on where the real farmers are.
The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and the Kenya Veterinary and Vaccine Plant Institute (KEVEVAPI) also appeared before the Committee today to provide additional information on their budget breakdown, comparing the 205/26 FY and 2026/27 FY allocations; to justify prioritising operations and maintenance over capital investments; and to present a comprehensive list of development projects.
The Committee will submit its Budget Policy Statement report to the Budget and Appropriations Committee on Friday, February 27, 2026.
