Seeds for Life Project – KenyaWilliam Omondi, National Co-ordinator, Tree seed Programme: Kenya Forestry Research Institute

williamomondi2004@yahoo.co.uk

PurposeEnhance conservation and sustainable utilisation of Kenya’s plant genetic resources

Activities• Collection of seed and herbarium specimen • Seed storage in Kenya and duplicates in RBG, Kew• Seed studies to backstop conservation• Build capacity of local communities and Institutions to conserve PGR

Destruction of natural forests

Degradation of drylands

Endangered species; e.g. Osiris lanceolata

Seed collections based on best practice principles

Seed studies to backstop conservation

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Material Transfer Agreement: KENYA and Royal Botanical

Gardens, Kew• Ensures Kenya Governments consent to the

transfer of seeds to the RBG, Kew Seed Bank for safe keeping and long-time conservation

• Duplicates in Kew exclusively for long term storage

• Research limited to supporting conservation • Kenya retains ownership of the duplicate at Kew• Any other research on the material by Kew can

only be undertaken through a separate agreement

Emerging issues.... Climate change, habitat degradation and

species loss Conflict between international conventions

and National regulations Definition of access in relation to ex-situ

conservation and seed duplication Total disclosure of origin and some aspects of

IK Modalities of costing, negotiating and sharing

the benefits ...the role of all stakeholders