Gilgil, Nakuru

They believe that access to a wide variety of seeds is crucial for enhancing food sovereignty, resilience, and sustainability in agriculture. Their goal is to empower farmers by providing them with the resources and knowledge needed to cultivate diverse crops, thereby preserving biodiversity and adapting to changing climate conditions.

By promoting diverse seed access, they aim to build resilient farming systems that can withstand environmental challenges, improve nutrition, and support livelihoods. Their commitment is to make a meaningful impact on the agricultural landscape in Kenya, fostering a future where farmers have the tools and resources to grow healthy, abundant crops.

Key Features

1. Agrobiodiversity Conservation

Seed Savers Network is committed to advocating for seed saving and seed banking as essential strategies to combat the impacts of climate change by enhancing farmers’ access to diverse seed varieties. By establishing seed banks, they empower farmers to secure seeds with regulated access, preventing premature consumption or sale before the planting season.

Community Seed Banks

Seed Savers Network has established 105 community seed banks across Kenya, safeguarding thousands of indigenous and climate-resilient seed varieties. These banks serve as local seed reserves, ensuring that smallholder farmers can access, store, and exchange diverse seeds.

Seed Regeneration & Conservation

Seed Savers Network works with farmers to regenerate and multiply traditional seeds, ensuring their continued availability.

They have conserved over 3,000 traditional seed accessions, with 1,000 also stored at the National Gene Bank and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Field Gene Banks & Demonstration Plots

Field gene banks maintain live collections of crops that require continuous cultivation, such as root tubers and vegetatively propagated plants (cassava, sweet potatoes, bananas).

Training and demonstration space  

They have space where farmers receive training in agroecological practices. Research centers, comparing the performance of indigenous crops versus commercial varieties.

Farmer-led Seed Exchange

Farmers are always the custodians of seeds, exchanging them through informal networks long before the emergence of commercial seed companies. Seed Savers Network strengthens these traditional exchange systems by:

• Organizing local and national seed fairs, where farmers share and trade indigenous seeds. Supporting farmer cooperatives and community seed banks to facilitate seasonal seed distribution.
• Promoting digital solutions such as the Online Seed Exchange Platform, connecting farmers across Kenya
• Annual national seed fairs have brought together over 3,000 farmers from multiple counties, leading to wider seed access, knowledge exchange, and stronger community resilience.

2. Capacity Building

Agroecology Training

To build resilient and sustainable food systems, Seed Savers Network equips farmers with agroecological skills that enhance productivity while preserving biodiversity.

• Soil fertility management – Composting, mulching, and organic fertilizers to improve soil health.
• Natural pest & disease control – Using bio-pesticides and companion planting to reduce chemical dependency.

Drought-resilient farming – Promoting traditional crop varieties that thrive in arid conditions. In 2024 alone, we trained hundreds of farmers in agroecology across different counties, enabling them to grow more food using sustainable methods.