Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has called for harsh punishment for individuals selling fake seeds, saying they should face treason charges for endangering national food security.
Speaking in Nyeri during the launch of modern Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) facilities, Kagwe urged Parliament to pass laws that classify the sale of counterfeit seeds and uncertified nursery materials as treasonable offences.
“Anyone selling fake seeds is deliberately sabotaging the country. You are risking a national food crisis. That is economic sabotage and it should be treated as treason. We will arrest immediately those involved,” Kagwe said.
The CS directed security agencies to intensify crackdowns on illegal seed distributors and unlicensed plant nurseries.
He urged farmers to only buy certified planting materials to safeguard yields.
Kagwe also condemned rising theft and destruction on farms, including cutting down coffee trees and damaging avocado and macadamia plantations.
He warned that destroying crops today deprives them of future livelihoods.
He added that the government is considering re-establishing an agricultural police unit to protect farms and farmers.
The CS further criticised coffee hawkers who buy cherries directly from farmers in informal markets—often in exchange for alcohol—saying the practice exploits farmers and weakens the formal coffee value chain.
During the event, Kagwe said the new state-of-the-art KEPHIS laboratory in Nyeri will transform agricultural productivity by providing advanced soil testing, disease diagnostics, and plant health services.
He said the facility will help farmers improve crop quality, detect diseases early and meet both local and international market standards.
“This modern facility will support Central Kenya and other regions by helping farmers understand their soils, detect diseases early, and meet market standards,” he said.
KEPHIS Chief Executive Officer Prof. Theophilus Mutui said the land provided by the Nyeri County Government will host plant clinics, disease surveillance and farmer training programmes.
These will be implemented in partnership with the Kenya School of Agriculture and Wambugu Technical Institute for Agriculture.
“This facility will empower farmers with modern skills and compliance knowledge so they can compete globally,” Prof. Mutui said.
Kagwe was accompanied by the Nyeri Senator, six Members of Parliament from the county, and the KEPHIS Board Chairperson.
The CS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting farmers, strengthening agricultural regulation and ensuring the integrity of Kenya’s food production systems.
“Kenya’s farmers deserve protection. Anyone trying to sabotage agriculture will face the full force of the law,” he said.
