Transcript Seeds for Life Project - KENYA

Seeds for Life Project – Kenya
William Omondi, National Co-ordinator, Tree seed Programme: Kenya Forestry Research Institute
[email protected]
Purpose
Enhance 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
25ºC
20 ºC
15ºC
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