KSh1 billion in substandard sunflower seeds up in smoke, could better traceability have stopped it?

In a shocking case, the government destroyed counterfeit sunflower seeds worth over KSh1 billion that had been sold to farmers in several counties. These seeds promised big harvests but ended up ruining crops, wasting money and damaging the soil.

Farmers lost everything after investing in land, fertilizer and labour, only to find out the seeds could not grow properly. This scandal has shaken trust in seed suppliers and the systems meant to protect farmers.

What is the solution? Traceability. If seed packets had unique codes and digital tracking, it would have been easy to trace where the seeds came from, check if they were certified and stop substandard ones before reaching farmers.

With digital tools, farmers could scan seed packs to check if they are real and authorities could act fast against bad suppliers. This would help protect farmers, save time and secure our food supply.

Destroying the counterfeit seeds was necessary but going forward, traceability is the real answer to protect farmers and rebuild trust in agriculture.