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KEPHIS seed supplier list opens runway to 30% more yields for Kenyan farmers

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KEPHIS has made a list of all the 1,262 planting seeds and crops sold in Kenya with their characteristics, the region of the country they are suited to and the name of the company selling them.

The Kenya National Crop Variety List which can be found here: KNCVL, helps you pick the right seed or crop for the county you are in and has been proven to increase farmer’s yields by an average of 30 per cent.

The main question we get when we write about a great drought-tolerant maize seed or fodder crop is: “Where can I get the seed?” According to a study by Chuka University, knowing the right crop variety for your region is the first step to making farming profitable because it reduces crop failure and disease, improving your harvests and the amount of money in your pocket

The 224-page document by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service in 2024 covers all the certified cereals, legumes, root & tuber, horticultural, industrial, and forage and pasture crops in Kenya and their different varieties. It details the crop’s variety name, year of release, and the company or organisation selling the seed. It also guides farmers on the regions the crop will do best in, the altitude it should be grown, its maturity period, yield potential, and resistance to pests & diseases.

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If you are a rice farmer in a semi-arid area you could use the list to pick Sindano rice which produces one to two tonnes less a hectare than Komboka rice but is drought resistant and can be grown without flooding.

Looking for a fast-growing Irish potato? The list will point you to the popular Shangi which matures in three to four months. However, if you are all about the amount of potatoes you will get or are looking to sell them to both the general market and chip makers, it will point you to Destiny which takes two more months to mature but yields up to 20 tons extra per hectare.

From the list, you will also learn of a few crops you might not have heard of but have brilliant characteristics such as drought tolerance, high yield or disease resistance, and are lucrative to grow.

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Examples are the KAT Gold grain Amaranth which grows in just 200mm of rain but yields 1.8 – 2.5 t/ha in just 80-100 days. Both the grains and leaves of grain Amaranth are highly nutritious food and animal feed because they contain up to 20 per cent protein, and are rich in high-quality oils. It is also used to make baked goods, porridge, snack bars, medicine, food dye, and lubricants. Kenya currently imports 10,000MT of grain amaranth every year.

The Kenya National Crop Variety List


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