Seeds

KALRO SEEDS

The unit contributes development of appropriate agricultural seeds for improvement of efficiency and in farming.

KALRO Seeds

Overview of the KALRO Seeds Directorate

KALRO Seeds Head Office was established in 1985 as a Macadamia Research Centre through a Japanese government grant aid to the government of Kenya under the then Ministry of Agriculture, Scientific Research Division. With the inception of Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) in 1989, it became a KARI Centre and continued with macadamia research. In 2009, it became a Practical Training Centre (PTC) through a Public Private Partnership with Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK). The aim was to capacity build horticultural farmers and other stakeholders on practical skills necessary for global competitiveness in fresh produce trade. In 2017, KALRO took over the sole management of the Centre renaming it KALRO PTC. The Centre continued to disseminate and transfer crop technologies developed by KALRO and her partners to various stakeholders through hands on practical training. In November 2021, the Centre was given a new mandate of coordinating production and marketing of seeds and renamed KALRO Seeds Head Office.

The KALRO Seed Unit (KSU) was established as a Foundation Seed Unit (FSU) in May 1997 and later renamed KSU in 1999 in order to conform to the terms used in the Seed and Plant Varieties Act; Cap 326. Thereafter, KSU was licensed as a Seed Merchant with the aim of producing seed (breeder, pre-basic, basic and certified) and to propagate fruit/nut tree seedlings, and root and tuber crop planting materials. This was after the Organization realized there was need for a seed production support system and since it depended on commercial seed companies to commercialize its varieties. The Unit would also serve as a source of revenue to support the institution’s variety maintenance program, research as well as implementing Plant Breeders Rights. Following a restructuring process initiated in 2021, KSU was remained KALRO Seeds and coordination office moved from KALRO Headquarters to the former Macadamia/PTC, Thika.

Location

KALRO Seeds Head Office is located in Gatanga Sub County of Murang’a County, along the Thika Kandara road about 10 kilometers from Thika town. The GPS coordinates for the office complex are – 00°99866”S 37°06454”E, at an altitude of 1531 meters.

Vision

A leading provider of high quality breeder, basic, certified seed and other planting material in Eastern Africa and beyond.

Mission

To contribute to the commercialization of the agricultural sector by availing quality certified planting materials from research.

Mandate

To coordinate multiplication, maintenance, marketing and distribution of all crop planting materials which include; breeder, pre-basic, basic and certified seed, fruit/nut tree seedlings, roots and tuber cuttings as well as fodder for access to farmers across the Country and also to generate revenue for supporting the organization’s variety maintenance program, research, as well as servicing of plant breeders’ rights fees.

Objectives

To transform the Seed Unit into a robust seed production system for accelerated multiplication, maintenance, marketing and distribution of breeder, pre-basic, basic and certified seed of all crops for enhanced productivity.

Specific objectives;

Identify Centre potential, requirements, and challenges in the KALRO seed production system;
Accelerate multiplication and availability of tested quality seed of verified varieties including orphaned/other crops derived from research;
Develop strategies for facilitating last mile access to quality seeds by farmers and other seed merchants; and
Develop a sustainable seed production system that will guarantee seed quality and availability.

Institute Structure

KALRO Seeds is headed by a Director who works with a secretariat at the Head Office and Seeds Managers in the 15 production Centres. The Seed Managers technically report to Director KALRO Seeds while administratively under their respective Centre Directors.

Institute Structure

Seed Production and Distribution Centres

Currently, Seeds multiplication is conducted in 15 KALRO Centres namely; KALRO AMRI Katumani, KALRO Kandara, KALRO Embu, KALRO Mwea, KALRO Mtwapa, KALRO Matuga, KALRO Njoro, KALRO Ol Ojoro Orok, KALRO Muguga, KALRO Tigoni, KALRO Kibos, KALRO Alupe, KALRO Kitale, KALRO Kakamega and KALRO Seeds. The production activities are managed by Seed Managers while each Centre operates a Mkulima Shop to ease access of technologies by farmers. Besides the 15 Centres, seed marketing and distribution is also carried at KA

LRO Kabete and KALRO Headquarters through Mkulima shops.

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KALRO Mkulima Shops

To facilitate last mile access to KALRO technologies by farmers as well as other partners throughout the country KALRO has established distribution outlets known as Mkulima Shops in various parts of the country. Mkukima Shop is one stop shop that stocks all KALRO technologies including certified seeds, Vegetatively Propagated Seeds (VPSs) and value-added products from across all KALRO Centres. The shops to provide farmers with certified seeds that suit their respective regions and also offer agronomic support and advice for increased productivity and incomes.

Seeds production opportunities

Opportunities in the Seeds production and distribution activities include;

Contractual seed growers
Seed merchants through KALRO technologies licensing
Seed marketing and distribution

Research Areas/Seed Enterprises

KALRO Seeds multiplies, maintains, markets and distributes all crops seeds including cereals, legumes, industrial, horticultural, root and tuber cuttings, pasture and fodder thus availing certified seed for production in the country. KALRO Seeds acts as a repository for all commercially viable varieties developed by KALRO and works closely with the breeders to maintain the parental lines for the development and maintenance of relevant foundation seed/ Early Generation Seed (EGS). These include Breeders, Pre-basic and Basic seed that is required for the generation of certified seed by both KALRO seeds and other seed merchants who wish to access KALRO Varieties. Through these enterprises, KALRO facilitate access to a wide range of technologies including climate smart seed varieties and seeds for orphaned/other crops which are ordinarily not attractive to commercial seed companies due to their low turnover yet are critical to food and nutrition security.

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Achievements and Impact

KALRO Seeds achievements and impact include: increased volumes of certified leading to increased uptake of quality seed by farmers; increased accessibility to quality planting material to the non-traditional crop growing regions; increased availability of certified seeds for orphaned/other crops which are ordinarily not attractive to commercial seed companies due to their low turnover and yet are critical to food and nutrition security; employment creation through contracted seed growers and seed processing centres; increased productivity from enhanced access of certified seed and consequently improved food and nutrition; increased accessibility of KALRO seeds varieties by seed merchants; and enhanced household incomes.