Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has urged Parliament to introduce stiffer penalties against individuals involved in the sale of counterfeit seeds and uncertified planting materials, saying the crime poses a direct threat to Kenya’s food security.
Speaking in Nyeri during the launch of modern Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) laboratories, Kagwe called for treason-level punishment for those engaged in the illegal trade.
Anyone selling fake seeds is deliberately sabotaging the country. That is economic sabotage and it should be treated as treason, he said.
The CS directed security agencies to step up crackdowns on unscrupulous traders and urged farmers to only purchase certified seeds and seedlings to ensure productivity and food safety.
Kagwe also cautioned against the rising cases of farm vandalism, where thieves cut down coffee trees and destroy avocado and macadamia plantations, describing such acts as reckless and destructive.
Even as you steal, use your brains. What will you steal tomorrow after you cut down the coffee trees? The long arm of the law will catch up with you. We are pushing for the re-establishment of agricultural police to protect farmers, he warned.
The CS also took issue with coffee hawkers who buy cherry illegally from farmers, often trading it for alcohol, saying the practice exploits farmers and undermines the formal market structure.
Kagwe said the newly commissioned KEPHIS laboratory in Nyeri will transform the agricultural landscape by offering modern soil testing, pest detection, and plant health services that will boost yields and market competitiveness.
This modern facility will support Central Kenya and other regions by helping farmers understand their soils, detect diseases early, and meet both local and international market standards, he noted.
