Nestled within the Cherangani Hills, a unique community-led seed vault is emerging as a vital fortress for preserving Kenya’s crop diversity in the face of escalating climate volatility. The Pokot Community Seed Bank, developed in partnership with the Crop Trust and local agricultural organizations, serves as a decentralized repository for hundreds of traditional, drought-resistant seed varieties cultivated by the Pokot community for generations. This initiative empowers local farmers, particularly women who are the primary custodians of seed knowledge, to systematically collect, store, and exchange seeds of indigenous sorghum, millet, cowpeas, and vegetables, ensuring that these climate-adapted genetic resources are not lost to the pressures of commercial agriculture and recurrent droughts.
The operational model of the seed bank is a blend of traditional knowledge and modern preservation science. Farmers deposit their best seeds in the bank’s specialized cold storage unit, which maintains optimal conditions for long-term viability, effectively creating a living library of the region’s agricultural heritage. Crucially, the bank also functions as a dynamic exchange hub; members can withdraw seeds at planting time, with the agreement that they will return a portion of their harvest’s seeds, thus replenishing and diversifying the stocks. This system not only secures the seeds against total loss from a single farmer’s crop failure but also actively facilitates the circulation and adaptation of these resilient varieties across the wider community, strengthening the collective food system.
The long-term significance of this community vault extends far beyond West Pokot, representing a frontline defense for national food security. The genetic traits found in these indigenous seeds—such as deep root systems, short growing cycles, and natural pest resistance—are invaluable for breeding new, climate-resilient crops for all of Kenya. As unpredictable weather patterns make conventional farming increasingly risky, these traditional varieties offer a proven, reliable alternative. The Pokot Seed Bank demonstrates that the most effective conservation strategies are often those that are owned and managed by the communities whose survival depends on them, safeguarding not just seeds, but a legacy of knowledge essential for adapting to an uncertain climatic future.