Rosinah Mbenya, PELUM country coordinator, explained that the purpose of the symposium was to promote and position agroecology at the centre of Kenya's agricultural and food systems transformation.
"The symposium aims to catalyse transformative dialogue and action towards a sustainable and healthy food systems transition in Kenya through inclusive multi-stakeholder engagement, knowledge sharing and strategic partnerships," she explained.
Rosinah said the traditional seed varieties cultivated and preserved by Kenyan communities for generations are proving to be essential tools for agricultural resilience. "Indigenous seeds are naturally equipped to withstand the stresses of a changing climate while promoting sustainable farming and food security," she explained.
She added that one of the defining features of indigenous seeds is their rich genetic diversity, which is a result of centuries of adaptation to local conditions, including variations in rainfall, temperature, and soil types.
Nicholas Mutua, and member of Utooni Development Organisation, said Makueni County is dry most of the time, and farmers there rely on indigenous seeds for planting.
"Here, if we want to harvest, we must plant indigenous seeds like sorghum, millet, pigeon peas and cowpeas, which are naturally drought-tolerant with climate-smart traits," he said.
Mutua further noted that these indigenous crops have deep roots that can access water deep below the soil surface, mature early and at times are tolerant to poor soil fertility.
Once you plant indigenous seeds, he noted, they will require little or no chemical fertilisers or pesticides, meaning lower production costs and reduced environmental impact, contributing to more sustainable and self-reliant farming systems.
Speaking at the same event, Daniel Wanjama, the coordinator of the Seed Savers Network, emphasised that indigenous seeds are extremely important and must be protected from being lost.
Research done by the Food for Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in 2010 estimated that 75 per cent of crop diversity was lost between 1900 and 2000.
"Saving seeds is an important activity for farmers since it is the only way they can access seeds any time they want, and ensure continuity of production without depending on commercial or hybrid ones," Wanjama explained.
He guided farmers on the best practices for selecting and storing indigenous seeds to achieve better yields.
The first step, Wanjama noted, is to select quality seeds. Good seeds should be clean and free from diseases and pests. Secondly, the soil must be fertile to enable any farmer to produce high-quality seeds. He also warned that not everything farmers plant qualifies as seed. Seed selection begins while the crops are still growing in the field.
"You observe which plants are growing faster, which maize tassels first, or which vegetables flower earlier, the seeds that do not attract pests and diseases in the farm. These are some of the key characteristics to consider," he explains. Wanjama emphasised that farmers must follow all recommended agronomic practices, including timely and early planting, proper watering, minimum tillage, maintaining hygiene in the field, and proper post-harvest handling.