By Jane Thuo Waweru- PhD
In East Africa, smallholder farmers long depended on Farmer-Managed Seed Systems (FMSS) to cultivate, save, and exchange seeds adapted to local conditions. These systems form the backbone of sustainable agriculture, food sovereignty, and biodiversity. However, FMSS face mounting pressure from national and international policies favoring commercial seed systems, jeopardizing farmers’ rights and food sovereignty. To ensure the long-term sustainability of these essential systems, it is crucial to foster an enabling policy environment that recognises and protects the rights of farmers. Dr. Fassil Gebeyehu, the General Coordinator of the African Biodiversity Network (ABN) emphasizes the need to safeguard FMSS for future generations, highlighting their crucial role in environmental sustainability and resilience against climate change.
The role of Farmer-Managed Seed Systems in Food Sovereignty
FMSS are rooted in traditional knowledge, passed down through generations promoting biodiversity and sustainability. It allows smallholder farmers to save and share seeds, allowing communities control over agricultural inputs. This is vital for food sovereignty, which asserts the right to define their own systems prioritizing local food production. Farmer-Managed Seed Systems (FMSS) are integral to the preservation of indigenous seeds, which are often more resilient to local environmental conditions, such as drought and pests. “This calls for the promotion of agroecology, and environmental sustainability to deal with climate change as well as the reduction of pesticides”. Explains Mr. Joachim Paul, Director of Heinrich Boll Stiftung Foundation in Kenya.
Dr. Venter Mwongera, Communications and Advocacy Coordinator, ABN, observed, “FMSS are the cornerstone of biodiversity, climate resilience, and food sovereignty, especially in Africa. Denying farmers their seed rights is akin to strangling them and expecting them to survive.”
Conversely, commercial seed systems impose uniformity and dependency on external inputs, undermining local knowledge and seed diversity. The proliferation of hybrid and genetically modified seeds, which necessitate new purchases each season, erodes traditional seed-saving and exchange practices. This shift threatens the region’s biodiversity and the food sovereignty of millions of smallholder farmers who depend on locally adapted seeds. Ms. Beatrice Wangui, a farmer from Gil Gil in Kenya, voices a common concern: “Despite my hard work cultivating and preserving diverse seeds, I can’t sell them due to fears of losing formal seed rights.”
Challenges facing Farmer-Managed Seed Systems
FMSS struggle against a legal landscape increasingly aligned with international agreements like the UPOV 1991 Convention. National laws in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania are increasingly aligned with these international agreements which imposes strict regulations on the exchange and sale of seeds. These regulations often prioritise the certification and registration of commercial seeds, making it difficult for FMSS to legally operate. As a result, farmers who exchange or sell their own seeds risk being criminalised, despite these practices being central to their livelihoods and agricultural resilience.
Moreover, multinational seed companies, backed by government policies, reduce the availability of indigenous seed varieties. In Uganda and Tanzania, the push for hybrid seeds has reduced the market for traditional varieties, jeopardizing the biodiversity that FMSS uphold. The erosion of indigenous knowledge, as younger generations abandon traditional farming, further weakens FMSS.
“The move from farmer-managed seed systems (FMSS) to corporate-dominated seed systems is a concerning development if Africa is to dream of food sovereign. The risks of monoculture where, mostly, crops are susceptible to diseases, pests, the effects of climate change, among other emerging threats is equally unstainable. It’s crucial that we focus on safeguarding and promoting FMSS to maintain a resilient and sustainable food system.” Dr. Mwongera emphasized.
The importance of an enabling policy environment
For FMSS to thrive, there is a pressing need for policies that support and protect farmers’ rights to save, exchange, and sell their seeds. An enabling policy environment must recognise the value of FMSS in ensuring food security, preserving biodiversity, and fostering sustainable agricultural practices.
Policy reform should focus on revising seed laws to allow for the free exchange and sale of seeds within farmer-managed systems. Currently, laws that require seeds to meet specific certification standards exclude the diverse range of seeds used in FMSS. By acknowledging the unique contributions of FMSS to agro-biodiversity and climate resilience, governments can create a more inclusive seed policy framework that empowers smallholder farmers.
Eng. Laban Kiplagat, Chief Engineer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, calls for policy gaps to be addressed and for the establishment of community seed banks crucial for preserving indigenous seeds. He stresses that policies supporting FMSS are vital for biodiversity preservation and climate resilience. In Uganda, Mr. Jonathan Lubega, Program Officer, Agricultural Trade for Rural Transformation from SEATINI highlights ongoing stakeholder engagements with policymakers to revitalize discussions on seed laws.
The role of farmers’ rights in promoting food sovereignty
Farmers’ rights are fundamental to food sovereignty, encompassing the ability to save, exchange, and develop seeds without restrictive laws or corporate interference. Protecting these rights is not just agricultural policy; it’s an issue of social justice and equity. Smallholder farmers, who make up the majority of the agricultural workforce in East Africa, are the custodians of seed diversity and traditional knowledge. They must have the freedom to manage their seeds, as restrictions jeopardize their livelihoods and sustainable food systems.
Carolyne Anyona, a farmer from Environmental Management Program (BERMA), CBO in from Busia illustrates her community’s efforts in FMSS through a seed bank managed by local youth and women. They have over 200 seed varieties and maintain quality by requiring members to return seeds from their harvests, ensuring continuity and preventing loss.
International frameworks, such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants, recognise the importance of protecting the rights. However, national policies in East Africa have been slow to reflect these principles. Strengthening farmers’ rights through legal recognition and protection is essential to ensuring that FMSS can continue to contribute to food security and ecological sustainability.
Advocacy for policy change
Advocacy is crucial for fostering an enabling policy environment for FMSS. Civil society organizations, such as the African Biodiversity Network and the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya, are leading efforts to promote policy reforms that support FMSS and raise awareness of their significance.
At the international level it’s vital to challenge the dominance of corporate seed systems and advocate for policies that recognize traditional seed systems’ value. Engaging with international forums such as the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, can help ensure that global policies do not undermine FMSS. Advocacy should focus on preventing trade agreements and intellectual property laws from restricting farmers’ access to seeds.
Mr. Samuel Nderitu, CEO of the Grow Biointensive Agriculture Center of Kenya (GBiACK) stresses that FMSS are foundational to sustainable agriculture in East Africa. He advocates for strategies such as community-based seed banks, research and documentation, and sustainable agriculture practices to ensure the return of disappearing seeds and contribute to resilient food systems.
These systems, built on indigenous knowledge and biodiversity, offer resilient alternatives to commercial seed systems that often prioritise profit over sustainability. However, FMSS are under threat from restrictive policies and the growing influence of multinational seed companies. To safeguard these systems and ensure the rights of smallholder farmers, it is essential to create an enabling policy environment that recognises and protects farmers’ rights. Through policy reform, capacity building, and advocacy, we can ensure that FMSS continue to contribute to biodiversity, food security, and the resilience of farming communities across East Africa.
Jane Thuo- PhD Waweru is the Director of African Biodiversity Alliance.
