In a landmark ruling, the High Court of Kenya has judged Kenya’s Seeds and Plant Varieties Act to be unconstitutional, as it violates the right to food as granted by the Constitution. Consequently, the relevant sections of the Act have been suspended. This ruling highlights the importance of farmer’s rights to seeds and the need to reform restrictive seed laws, which has relevance for the whole continent and beyond. The text of the ruling with the details on its effects and justification can be found here.
APBREBES has analysed the ruling and its effects on plant variety protection. The summary can be found here.
To provide more information on how Kenya’s civil society achieved this victory and on the significance of the ruling for other countries in Africa and beyond, CROPS4HD, together with Seed Savers Network Kenya organizes a webinar on 15th of January 2026. Register here.
Recording of the webinar: