Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has proposed a sentence of not less than 10 years in jail for anybody found selling fake seeds and fertilisers to farmers.
While asking Members of Parliament to create the new laws on Friday, February 21, Kagwe also asked them to ensure no fines for anyone caught selling the fake products. Kagwe argues that the country's agriculture is a national security issue, and any attempt to sabotage national security attracts harsh retributions.
According to the CS, anybody selling fake seeds and fertilisers to farmers is threatening national food security and should be heftily punished.
"At the moment, people are caught with counterfeit seeds and fertilisers but continue to walk away with minor charges. But this is a sabotage to the economy. In my view, we should enhance the punishment and make them serve a jail sentence of not less than 10 years without a fine, just go to jail," CS Kagwe suggested.
The CS was appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture alongside Agriculture Permanent Secretary Dr Paul Rono, to present the 2025 Budget Policy Statement (BPS).
The departmental committee was chaired by Tigania West MP Dr John Mutunga.
Kagwe proposed working with the National Assembly in introducing legislative proposals to address any criminal activities in the agricultural sector that target the farmers and other value chains in the sector.
According to the agriculture boss, the implications of the fake seeds and fertilisers affect families for the long term, throwing them off their balance and leaving them in limbo.
"When you give fake seeds and a farmer has to wait for eight or nine months to realise they are going nowhere, then a family that intended to feed itself on those seeds becomes dilapidated," Kagwe explained.
"We cannot allow unscrupulous dealers to undermine our farmers and jeopardise our agricultural future," the CS continued.
The crackdown on fake fertiliser and seed syndicates was one of the major agendas the CS promised to deal with during his vetting before lawmakers.
Kenyan farmers have numerously fallen victim to vendors selling fake seeds and fertilizers.
