DEKALB Genetics Corporation has expressed their satisfaction with the E- label verification code system which helps to fight distribution of fake seeds in the agriculture sector.
Bayer East Africa Managing Director Eric Bureau said that the campaign educated farmers on the importance of purchasing their seed inputs from approved retailers and certifying their purchases to ascertain the quality.
“Our aim is to increase productivity and the country’s food security relies on the farmers,” he said during the presentation at their offices in Nairobi.
The MD further said that the E-label verification system strongly helps farmers to improve how they grow crops, their profitability and income.
“Maize being the most important food crop in Kenya which accounts for 51 percent of all staples grown in the country, Bayer aims to ensure safe supply of food now and in the future,” Bureau said.
E- Label, is a campaign the corporation carried for two months running and enabled farmers to scratch, reveal the verification code on their seed pack and send it to 1393 via phone text message then receive information about the authenticity of the seed and the seed company.
The campaign which ran from March 8, 2019 to April 26, 2019 was aimed at sensitizing farmers on the importance of authenticating their seed purchase.
Monsanto Country Manager, Everlyn Musyoka, said that most farmers face the challenge of failing to differentiate between fake seeds and certified seeds in the market.
“An informed farmer is a powerful farmer, therefore farmers should continue using the E-label system for better production,” she said.
Seed Trade Association of Kenya, CEO, Duncan Ochieng, said that the Ministry of Agriculture fully supports the use of E-label system.
“The issue of counterfeiting is everywhere, and I urge the necessary bodies to continue tackling the problem to attain food security,” he said.
This comes at a time when players in the industry have been calling on government to improve on ways for farmers to identify and separate fake from genuine seeds even as it seeks to promote Food security in the country as one of the Big 4 Agenda.
Beatrice Kerubo Onyiego from Manga, Nyamira County emerged the overall winner among 46 other local farmers to win the grand prize of a Nissan NP200 following the campaign
By Wangari Ndirangu and KNA Team
