26/11/2025
In 2022, fifteen farmers from the Seed Savers Network, Kenya filed a landmark constitutional petition at the Machakos High Court, challenging the compatibility of Kenya’s Seed and Plant Varieties Act (SPVA) with the Constitution of Kenya (2010). The petition argues that restrictive provisions of the SPVA particularly those that criminalize farmers rights to sharing, exchange, and selling their own farm saved seeds, violate constitutional rights including the right to food, culture and property. The farmers further contend that the Act fails to recognise Farmer-Managed Seed Systems (FMSS), despite their central role in seed access, agrobiodiversity conservation, and community resilience across the country.
With judgement expected on 27th November 2025, this case marks a pivotal moment for farmers’ rights and food sovereignty in Kenya. Regardless of the outcome, the ruling carries major implications for the country's seed sector.
This moment calls for collective solidarity. The judgement will be streamed live through:
https://lnkd.in/dW4Aq2gH
