The Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) has finally compensated a farmers’ group KSh394,800 for indigenous vegetable seeds supplied in 2012, closing a protracted dispute that dragged on for fourteen years.
The settlement was reached after mediation by the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ)
The farmers had petitioned the Commission, accusing KALRO, then operating as the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) of failing to pay for Amaranthus and Spider Plant seeds produced under a World Bank‑supported programme.
The initiative, known as Scaling Up Farmer‑Led Seed Enterprises for Sustained Productivity and Livelihoods in Eastern and Central Africa, was implemented in Yala, Bondo, Kisumu West, and Butere Mumias sub‑counties with funding from the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA).
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According to the CAJ, KARI had contracted the group to produce standard commercial seeds, while the institute’s seed unit was tasked with marketing and distribution. The farmers delivered the seeds, which were approved by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), but payment was never made.
KALRO later argued that sales were hindered by packaging and marketing challenges, and that the project’s closure in 2012 left no funds to support distribution.
The dispute was further complicated by incomplete records during the transition from KARI to KALRO, making it difficult to verify seed volumes. Matters worsened when KEPHIS issued a stop‑sale order on Spider Plant seeds (Lagveg 003) in December 2012 after germination tests failed, leading to the destruction of the stock. KALRO admitted it had no documentation of the destruction process, citing gaps in archival data.
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After repeated warnings from the CAJ, KALRO eventually acknowledged that seeds had been transported to KARI Katumani in Machakos. The Ombudsman invoked Article 47 of the Constitution and the Fair Administrative Action Act, 2015, stressing that public institutions must remain accountable and provide timely remedies when disputes arise.
During mediation sessions, KALRO initially offered to pay for the Amaranthus seeds at the prevailing market rate of KSh700 per kilogram. The farmers rejected the proposal, insisting on the original contractual terms, noting that market prices had fallen sharply since 2012. After further consultations, KALRO revised its offer, agreeing to pay KSh700 per kilogram for the full 564 kilograms claimed, bringing the total settlement to KSh394,800 inclusive of interest considerations.
The farmers accepted the payment, concluding a dispute that had lingered for over a decade.
By Masaki Enock
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