Nyeri: The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) has initiated the process of establishing a state-of-the-art regional laboratory in Nyeri County. The laboratory will be strategically located near the Wambugu Farm Agricultural Training Centre and the Kenya School of Agriculture, with the intent to serve the Central and Eastern region counties.
According to Kenya News Agency, KEPHIS Managing Director Prof. Mwenda Mutui explained that the facility aims to enhance services such as seed certification, plant health inspection, and advanced laboratory analysis for soil, water, and animal feeds. Additionally, it will include demonstration plots for National Performance Trials (NPT) to support innovation and research in agriculture.
On Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, led a delegation of KEPHIS officials on an inspection tour of the 15-acre site designated for the laboratory. Kagwe emphasized that the advanced laboratory will establish the necessary framework to boost agricultural production, especially given the limited availability of arable land.
Kagwe highlighted the importance of increasing productivity per unit area, noting that the size of farms in Nyeri County and the surrounding regions is not expanding. He stressed the necessity of adopting advanced farming practices to achieve higher yields per acre, facilitated by institutions like the new laboratory.
The proposed lab is intended to serve as a backup for other KEPHIS labs nationwide, enhancing the country’s capacity for extensive soil and seed testing. Kagwe stated that the modern laboratory will employ the latest technology to expedite soil testing, disease analysis, and seed certification processes.
Kagwe also addressed the issue of fake seed sales, advocating for treason charges against those engaged in this illegal practice. He called for intensified crackdowns on illegal distributors and sellers of uncertified seed, describing the sale of fake seeds as a threat to national food security and economic stability. Kagwe urged the National Assembly to enact stricter laws to punish perpetrators of this trade.
Furthermore, Kagwe advised farmers to protect themselves from fraud by purchasing only certified seeds from licensed distributors. He emphasized the importance of farmers having access to information on the benefits of using certified seeds to avoid falling prey to unscrupulous sellers.
