10. SEEDS

10.6 Seed from central institutions

A number of projects operating in different areas of Kenya can be approached for seeds, but the most prominent central institution for tree seed is the Kenya Tree Seed Centre at the KEFRI headquarters at Muguga near Nairobi. This institution has advanced facilities for testing and storing seeds, and has organized collection through its field stations. Tree seeds for Forest Department plantations are often procured from KEFRI, and seeds of many species are available for purchase by projects and even for export. The Tree Seed Centre can also advise on seed pre-treatment, storage, etc., and may buy seeds from collectors if prior arrangements are made.

Reliance on centralized seed supplies should, however, be avoided. Local collection is a more effective way of ensuring a timely supply to the user of the seed of the right species and provenance. An advantage of central seed handling, however, is that it can provide seeds of the best genetic quality. So far this is valid mainly for commercial timber species, but with increased efforts to breed good varieties of agroforestry trees, centralized seed supplies may become increasingly important in the future.