Coated seeds offer Kenyan farmers a fighting chance against climate change

For farmers, the promise is straightforward: seeds that germinate more reliably, crops that withstand early stress, and a harvest less dependent on chance.

That fragile moment of germination often tells them how the rest of the season will unfold: whether they will have a harvest to depend on or face the prospect of hunger.

At the Agricultural Development Corporation’s (ADC) 60th anniversary celebrations in Kitale this month, that anxiety met a glimmer of hope. A new seed-coating technology, developed by Yara East Africa, promises to help crops push through the risky early weeks of growth, even when the weather does not cooperate.

The innovation involves coating seeds with a fine layer of key nutrients, organic carbon and bioactive compounds directly onto each grain. The idea is simple: give the seed a head start, ensure stronger root development, and reduce the gamble of planting in uncertain conditions.

“Seed coating with YaraAmplix SEEDLIFT means farmers are no longer gambling with germination,” said John Rotich, Yara’s Commercial Manager for Uganda and the Rift Valley. “Even when rainfall is late or irregular, the seed has a head start.”

Seeds of resilience

For decades, farmers across western Kenya have struggled with declining soil fertility, erratic rainfall, and rising input costs. These pressures, compounded by climate change, have left yields stagnating even as the country’s food demand grows. In this context, coated seeds represent more than an agricultural tweak, they are an attempt to de-risk farming at its most vulnerable stage.

Experts argue that the technology could improve uniformity in crop stands, reduce losses from failed germination, and allow farmers to invest with more confidence. “When farmers can trust that their seeds will establish well, they are more likely to invest in their farms,” said Rotich.

The economic implications are significant. Agriculture contributes about a fifth of Kenya’s GDP and employs more than half the population. Yet frequent crop failures and poor yields continue to undermine food security, pushing the country toward costly imports of staples like maize and wheat.

 A legacy at 60

For ADC, which was founded in 1965 to spearhead Kenya’s agricultural development, the partnership with Yara is part of a broader strategy to modernise. “Our commitment is not just to produce food, but to ensure every Kenyan has access to nutritious food,” said Dr Wilson Tonui, ADC’s managing director.

ADC is also investing in other technologies; from drone spraying to embryo transfer in livestock, as it tries to position itself at the forefront of climate-smart farming. The addition of YaraAmplix technology presents an immediate means of scaling climate change adaptation solutions.

Even the most advanced technology can falter without proper use. Yara says it is backing up the seed-coating technology with agronomy training and field demonstrations to show farmers how to get the best from the seeds. At the Kitale event, farmers walked through trial plots, examined root systems, and debated the potential impact on their own farms.

“Empowering farmers through knowledge transfer is just as critical as providing them with improved inputs,” Rotich said.

The bigger picture

Kenya’s agriculture is at a crossroads. Climate shocks are intensifying, and the costs of fertiliser, seeds, and pesticides have spiked in recent years. Against this backdrop, incremental innovations such as coated seeds could prove crucial, as part of a broader toolkit for resilience.

For farmers like those in Trans Nzoia, the promise is straightforward: seeds that germinate more reliably, crops that withstand early stress, and a harvest less dependent on chance.

As Dr Tonui put it during the celebrations, the challenge now is not whether Kenya can innovate, but how quickly such solutions can be scaled. In his words: “No plate should be empty, and no farmer should be left behind.”