Kenya seed company limited Head office kitale:

Subsidiaries:

Simlawseeds co. ltd- Nairobi

Kibo seed company ltd- Tanzania

Mt Elgon seed company- Uganda

Vision

TO BE THE CERTIFIED SEED SUPPLIER OF CHOICE IN EAST AFRICA AND

BEYOND

MISSION TO AVAIL TOP QUALITY CERTIFIED SEED

PRODUCTS TO THE FARMER

Back ground

Kenya Seed Company is a state Corporation that produces and markets top quality seeds for the country farming community with an overall objective of adding value to the farming business and contributing to food sufficiency in Kenya and beyond.

The Company was incorporated in Kenya in July 1956 to promote the use of improved strains of pasture seed, developed by the National Agricultural Research Station at Kitale.

Two years later, the company started an enterprise to produce commercial sunflower for the European bird feed market to sustain its financial needs that had by then expanded.

In 1963 the company introduced hybrid seed maize production following the release of the first hybrids by the government Research centre in Kitale. Seed wheat was added to the seed program in 1971 to provide certified seed to farmers who previously depended on low quality farm saved seeds.

 

Acquisitions

Later in 1979 the company acquired Simpson and White law, a company trading in horticultural seeds, and introduced the brand name Simlaw Seeds, which has since distinguished itself as a leading brand in the market.

In 2002 Simlaw Seeds was registered as a limited liability company and a subsidiary of Kenya Seed Company Ltd.

Its core business is selling and marketing of high quality horticultural seeds in Kenya and eastern Africa.

In the same year Kenya seed incorporated Kibo and Mt Elgon seed Companies in Tanzania and Uganda respectively as an expansion strategy into the Eastern Africa market.

objectives

To produce top quality certified seeds To supply and promote quality certified seeds to meet effective market demand

and needs To generate and disseminate appropriate technological packages for farmers To enhance internal seed quality standards To increase profits through operation and production efficiency and market

expansion To adopt quality management systems and programs in all sectors of the

company To adopt mechanisms for spreading risk and improving company income To Improve career opportunities through staff training and development  To achieve the above objective the company has had to invest a large capital

outlay to cater for research and development of technologies, infrastructure, production and marketing.

Departments

Administration in charge of daily issues and liaising with other departments for

daily activities including financing.

Production Charged with the responsibility of ensuring adequate seed

supplies by growing annual requirements for the areas covered

Research In charge of introducing new varieties for different regions and

maintaining the germplasm

Marketing Liaises with other departments to satisfy the customer. Ensures

adequate circulation of seeds and trains farmers on various requirements for successful crop growth and addressing upcoming challenges

Research

The Kenya Seed Company has its own research programmes centered at Elgon Downs Farm.

The Research Department is responsible for variety development and supply of basic seed. It also conducts seed agronomy; herbicide screening and fertilizer types and rates trials and make recommendations to farmers to enable them maximize yields. 

PRODUCTION:

Production department is responsible for the growing of certified seeds. Local farmers carry out seed production on contractual terms.

To ensure the qualities of the seeds, the seed growers are supported by a team of qualified and experienced technical staff who offer advice throughout all the stages of seed production

PRODUCTION CHANNELS

RESEARCH

GERMPLASM STORAGE NATIONAL PERFORMANCE

TRIALS COMPANY TRIALS

FURTHER RESEARCH

CERTIFICATION (KEPHIS)

SEED BULKING

COMMERCIALISATION

MARKETING

The Company ensures that the farmers are continuously informed about new technologies and encourage them to adopt them in order to enhance their productivity.

The Company has also established an efficient seed distribution network of agents and stockists in the market place to ensure ease of accessibility of quality seeds at all times.

The network of channels of distribution is serviced by a well trained team of professionals with good product knowledge and marketing skills to handle customers issues such as need for product information and handling of customers complaints/ issues.

The company engages the farmers in trainings through activities such as field days, open days, demonstrations fields, Ask shows and media programs (print, radio, television, newsletters and word of mouth)- brochures, fliers etc

Sponsorship of community events eg road races, bicycle races etc

Marketing channels

COMPANY STORES

AGENTS SUBSIDIARY ORGANISATIONS

STOCKISTS

FARMER

FARMER SUB-AGENTS

STOCKIST

AGENT

FARMER

SUB AGENT

STOCKIST

FARMER

FARMER

ORGANISATIONS

FARMER

HUMAN RESOURCES:

The management of the Company has built a significant capacity of its human resource through training and development programmes both within and at other reputable training establishments.

As a result experienced and dedicated staff man key result areas to deliver quality services and to meet the company’s set objectives.

Crop varieties

Cereals: Wheat and Maize, for low attitude, medium altitude

and high altitude. Packages for maize are in 1 kg, 2 kg, 5 kg, 10 kg and exceptional 25 & 50 kg pack for large scale commercial farmers.

Oats, Columbus Grass, Boma Rhodes, Elmba Rhodes, Sudan Grass, Colored Guinea

Sunflower, beans, peas, cowpeas, green grams, sorghum, millet

Lucerne, desmodium, kikuyu grass, Bermuda grass Most of these products are packed in 500 g and 1 kg

HORTICULTURE

Broccoli, Cabbage, capsicum, Celery, Cauliflower, collards/ kale,

carrots, coriander, eggplants, leeks, lettuce, okra, onion, parsley,

pumpkin, spinach, tomato, turnip, water melon and many others.

Vegetables include both open pollinated and hybrids and are packed from 10 grams, 25 grams, 50 grams, 100 grams, 250 grams, 500grams and 1 kg pack to serve different farm sizes.

Other services

Crop production schedules Crop nutrition and crop protection

supplementary products provision Gross margin estimation and planning Market analysis and advice Advice on post harvest practices and

storage.

CHALLENGES

Transport and distribution / storage Many rural areas have poor access roads and pose a big challenge in

availing top quality seeds to the farmers. In addition to poor road state in some areas, storage is also a major problem due to presence of

storage pests and diseases, lack of storage facilities and lack of knowledge on the farmers to handle seeds. Training is continuous to train handlers on requirements of proper seed health and enforced by

KEPHISPests and diseases

Many pests can be passed from one area to another either though seed or other crop material such as residues and from field to field.

During seed production, strict measures are needed to ensure control of pests and diseases. Collaboration with other stake holders in the

agro-chemical industry and seed treatment.

Fraudsters. There are many cases of illegal sellers have been found selling

uncertified seeds using packages printed in packages resembling those made by the company. KEPHIS follows up on all issues and

uses legal measures to ensure adherence to set rules and regulations

Illiteracy and poverty Many farmers are poor and are often unable to buy adequate seed

quantities for their planting needs. This therefore makes their productivity to remain low. Illiteracy makes many farmers not to

follow instructions correctly thus compromising the results achieved. Continuous training in collaboration with the ministry of agriculture,

schools and churches.Unstable weather

The unpredictability of tropical weather often causes major problems to seed quality either due to extreme humidity which interferes with natural processes of growth or seed maturation. Timing of planting seasons and researching on more drought tolerant crop species for

marginal areas.

Declining soil fertility

Due to continuous farming, many soils have declined in their ability to support profitability and give adequate yields in the crops produced. The application of inorganic fertilizers has worsened soil conditions making crop production unpredictable. This calls for urgent action to combat declining soil conditions. Advice on crop rotation, use of cover crops and application of organic manure.

Way forward

Training of farmers is key to technology adoption for them to understand and evaluate the benefits derived versus remaining in their current situation.

Collaboration with other organizations in the industry to use synergies that will reduce duplication and make farmers combine all the requirements affecting their production activities

Increasing farmers awareness on the benefits of multi-purpose trees and shrubs to be augmented into their farming and soil conservation measures.