Kenyan tree-seed sector needs policy overhaul to boost ecosystem restoration

A community member working at a tree nursery near Zombe, Kitui County, Kenya. Photo by Axel Fassio / CIFOR-ICRAF

Policy, planting and training are the three pillars of Africa’s tree-seed sector, which underpins the continent’s ambitious ecosystem restoration goals.

Effective policy is the first step to addressing land degradation across Africa and boosting smallholder livelihoods through alternative income opportunities.

Without supportive government frameworks, farmers struggle to access high-quality planting material for native tree species and often lack the technical knowledge to grow them using best practices.

Native trees are well adapted to their environments and offer significant ecological benefits, including enhanced local biodiversity, improved soil health and increased ecosystem resilience.

In June 2025, restoration stakeholders gathered in Naivasha, Kenya, for a four-day event to identify policy gaps, challenges and solutions in the country’s tree-seed sector.

The policy dialogue platforms were held under two initiatives: Quality Tree Seed for Africa (QT-Seed) and Right Tree, Right Place, Right Purpose (RTRP-Seed), both led by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).

Participants at the four-day event. Photo by CIFOR-ICRAF

Why policy?

Policy frameworks are critical to ecosystem restoration. They shape who participates in the seed sector, which tree species are accessed and planted, how seed systems function and how restoration and planting initiatives unfold.

In Kenya, where agriculture provides livelihoods for more than 80 percent of the population, the seed sector is guided by the National Seed Policy and the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act (Chapter 326), along with various national strategies aimed at increasing forest and tree cover through agroforestry. The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service serves as the main industry regulator.

“One of the key stages of policy formulation is public participation by relevant stakeholders at the county level, where people can review draft policies and provide feedback that’s incorporated before they are presented to Parliament,” said Ruth Mutie, an agribusiness officer for Nakuru County, who attended the event. “Once adopted, it’s the role of county governments to localise and implement them.”

Building skills

Over the first two days, the QT-Seed project hosted TerraFund Restoration Champions and community representatives for training focused on foundational skills in policy gap analysis, value chain mapping and root cause identification.

“One of the highlights was that it helped participants understand the tree value chain and realise that it can vary depending on the context—it doesn’t have to be standard,” said Celline Achieng’, executive director of the Laikipia Wildlife Forum.

Yet several challenges remain. Many participants still lacked a full understanding of relevant policies, which are sometimes misrepresented, Achieng’ said.

“It is only fair that those well-versed in Kenyan policy handle these issues, so that we, as Kenyans, feel confident our concerns are being addressed by those who truly understand them,” she said. “The Policy Dialogue Platform could play a key role in this.”

The RTRP project led the final two days of the event in collaboration with Botanic Gardens Conservation International. The agenda shifted to evaluating existing policies and setting priorities for native tree-seed systems, engaging policymakers, sectoral actors and select TerraFund Champions.

Participants identified the top policy priority under RTRP as improving access to high-quality native tree seeds and seedlings, followed by supporting local and Indigenous participation in seed systems.

They also highlighted two existing policies for further engagement: the Draft Seeds and Plant Varieties (Forest Tree Seeds) Regulations (2021), which would register forest tree-seed merchants; and the National Seed Policy (2010). Additional strategies flagged for advocacy included the Draft National Agroforestry Strategy and the Forest and Landscape Restoration Implementation Plan (FOLAREP) (2023), which could serve as vehicles for advancing native species agendas.

Photo by CIFOR-ICRAF

Recommendations

During RTRP sessions, CIFOR-ICRAF shared a review of Kenyan policies on tree seed and seedling delivery. The organisation called for regulations to support the inclusion of small-scale seed collectors; training provided by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI); and the identification and protection of seed sources by KEFRI and the Kenya Forest Service, in collaboration with community forest associations.

“A majority of local communities are unaware of the policies on native trees, seed collection and seed sharing,” said Mutie. “We need to step up sensitisation so people understand these frameworks. Kenya’s population is mostly young—more youth should be involved in collecting and conserving native seeds.”

The review also recommended mandatory registration and oversight of nurseries to ensure only documented seed is used, improving information flows across the sector, and providing farmers with guidance on what species to plant where.

“There should be more effort to reduce the cost of certification and harmonise procedures—too many agencies and requirements make the process unnecessarily expensive,” Achieng’ added.

Acknowledgments

*The QT-Seed project was launched by CIFOR-ICRAF in partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund to increase access to high-quality tree seed and support restoration across Africa.

**The RTRP-Seed project began in August 2022 and promotes landscape restoration by securing a sustainable supply of diverse native tree seeds and seedlings. It is implemented with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and Unique Land Use GmbH.