Meet Mr. Jacob K. Cheptaiwa

21: 05: 2026

Implementation and compliance with plant variety testing and protection policies, guidelines and strategies; Coordinate development of plant variety testing and protection plans, systems and procedures and coordinate implementation; Providing technical leadership and guidance on matters pertaining to plant variety testing and protection; Managing human, financial and material resources assigned to the departments; Maintaining necessary data bases and registers for plant variety testing and protection; Identifying and engaging collaborating partners; Promoting departments accountability and Fostering a corporate culture that promotes ethical practices and good corporate citizenship in the Department.

2. What is the mandate of the Plant Variety Testing & Protection Office (PVT&P), and why is it important to Kenya’s agricultural sector?

Plant Variety Testing & Protection (PVT&P) Office is responsible for implementing plant variety protection laws under the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act (Cap 326) and administering Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) to grant legal protection to developers of new plant varieties. It maintains the official register of protected varieties and oversees testing processes— Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) and National Performance Trials (NPTs) to ensure new varieties meet required standards before Registration and Listing. Additionally, the office regulates the release and registration/ Listing of new plant varieties for commercial use, safeguarding both breeders’ rights and the quality of agricultural technologies and innovations in Kenya.

PVT&P system plays a vital role in Kenya’s agricultural sector by encouraging innovation through intellectual property rights that motivate breeders to develop improved crop varieties with traits that meet farmer, consumer, market, diversity and environmental needs like higher yields, quality attributes, water efficient, drought tolerance, and disease resistance. Plant variety testing and confirmation of variety attributes gives assurance and guide farmers and users before they embark on choosing, adopting for cultivation, varieties meeting their food, feed, aesthetic, environment and industrial needs. It ensures quality and reliability of seeds by subjecting new varieties to rigorous testing, protecting farmers from substandard inputs. By promoting the adoption of high-performing and resilient crops, it strengthens food security in the face of climate challenges and rising demand. The system also supports regulation and fair trade by ensuring compliance with national and international standards, while protecting breeders’ rights, which in turn attracts private sector investment and enhances the competitiveness and sustainability of the seed industry.

3. What are the key services provided by PVP, and who are your primary stakeholders?

PVP office provides key services that support the development and regulation of Testing, Recognition, Naming and Protection of new plant varieties in Kenya. It grants Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR), giving breeders legal control over the commercialization of their technologies and innovations, and conducts or coordinates Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) and National Performance Trials (NPTs) to ensure new varieties meet required standards before Recognition, Naming and Registration. The office also facilitates the, naming, registration and official release of new varieties for commercialization, maintains an up-to-date register of registered and protected varieties to ensure, compliance, control, accountability transparency, and offers advisory and technical support to breeders on application procedures and compliance. Additionally, it enforces policies and regulations under the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act (Cap 326), ensuring adherence to both national and international standards.

The primary stakeholders of the Plant Variety Testing & Protection (PVT&P) system include farmers doing their own breeding and selection, Kenyan and International plant breeders from both public and private institutions such as universities and research organizations, as well as seed companies who seek variety testing and legal protection services for new varieties. Seed companies and producers rely on PVT&P for licensing and commercialization, while farmers benefit as end users through access to high-quality, diverse seeds. Research institutions and universities depend on the system to safeguard their innovations and technologies, and government and regulatory bodies collaborate with PVT&P on policy implementation and enforcement. Additionally, the Department contributes in setting global standards by contributing in technical working groups of international organizations such as the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).

4. How does plant variety protection contribute to agricultural productivity, innovation, and food security in Kenya?

PVT&P system plays a central role in strengthening Kenya’s agriculture by promoting innovation, productivity, food security, diversity and environmental sustainability. By ensuring that only high- performing, high quality, climate resilient crop varieties are released, it helps farmers achieve higher yields, quality and more reliable harvests. Through the protection of breeders’ rights, PVT&P encourages continuous research and investment in developing improved varieties suited to farmer, consumer, market and changing local conditions. It enhances food security by supporting the availability of climate-resilient and disease-tolerant varieties, improves seed quality and farmer confidence, and fosters a competitive agricultural sector.

5. What are some of the key achievements or milestones the PVT&P has realized in recent years?

Plant Variety Testing & Protection (PVT&P) in Kenya has achieved notable progress in recent years, marked by a steady increase in PBR applications and protected varieties, signalling growing confidence from both local and international breeders. Also, the system has facilitated release of climate-resilient varieties enhancing sustainable food security:

On average, more than half of yearly variety releases are climate smart; supported manufacturing through release of industrial crop varieties. Additional milestones include enhanced stakeholder capacity, adoption of automated online Seed Certification & PVP (SC&PVP) system to improve efficiency and accessibility. PVT&P has also supported sectors like floriculture, where protected varieties (e.g., roses) dominate exports.

6. How does PVT&P work with breeders, researchers, and institutions to promote uptake of plant breeders’ rights?

PVT&P department plays an active, collaborative role in supporting breeders, researchers, and institutions to make Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) practical and widely adopted. It provides technical guidance throughout the application process, collaborates with universities and research organizations in variety testing and trials, and conducts capacity-building programs to improve understanding and compliance. Additional we built trust and enhance service uptake through Synergistic strategies with stakeholders including joint development and review of test guidelines, experience sharing, sharing of testing facilities, identification of similar varieties, joint forums on Plant Variety Testing and Protection. Through partnerships with the relevant government institutions, research bodies, regional and international organizations to reduce information gaps on benefits of uptake of plant breeders’ rights.

7. What steps has the department taken to improve access to plant variety testing protection services and streamline processes?

The department has made significant improvements to make its services more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly for breeders, researchers, and seed companies. These include the adoption of the automated online Seed Certification & PVP (SC&PVP) system, which allows applicants to submit applications, upload documents, make payments and track the progress of Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR), DUS and NPT testing, and variety registration digitally. Applications for PBR are accepted throughout the year, supported by clearly defined submission timelines for DUS testing and National Performance Trials (NPT), enabling better planning and reducing delays. In some cases, DUS and NPT processes are conducted concurrently to speed up variety approval, while national test guidelines have been developed for crops lacking protocols so as to simplify processes for both local and international applicants.

8. How does PVT&P ensure compliance with national and international plant variety Testing and protection standards?

PVP ensures compliance with national laws and international standards. It operates under the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act (Cap 326), which guides how Plant Breeders’ Rights are granted, how varieties are tested and released, and how violations are handled. PVP also follows international standards through the use of UPOV test guidelines to ensure consistency and global recognition. Compliance is further ensured through strict testing (DUS and NPTs, proper registration and record-keeping. In addition, training, awareness programs, and collaboration with local and international partners help staff and stakeholders understand and follow the rules, making the systems reliable and well-regulated.

9. How does your department support the broader mandate of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS)?

The Plant Variety Protection (PVT&P) department supports the broader mandate of KEPHIS by strengthening General Regulatory compliance, availing varieties with attribute meeting consumer needs, enhancing market access, superior high yielding and resilient varieties, enhancing agricultural productivity, competitiveness, food security and sustainable agro-environment. It ensures that only distinct, superior and adaptable varieties are released into the market, reinforcing seed certification systems and preventing the spread of substandard planting materials. By granting Plant Breeders’ Rights, it promotes research and development, and supports a steady flow of improved and climate-resilient crop varieties. PVP also strengthens plant health by encouraging pest and disease-resistant crops, while operationalizing legal frameworks such as the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act (CAP 326) through registration, enforcement, and compliance systems. In addition, it facilitates trade by aligning with international standards like those of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants(UPOV). Through stakeholder engagement, and training, PVT&P builds confidence and collaboration, ultimately helping KEPHIS achieve its mandate of safeguarding plant health and promoting sustainable agricultural development in Kenya.

10. What is the future outlook for PVT&P, and what innovations or improvements can stakeholders expect?

The department will continue improving its systems and services to respond more and continuously and effectively address plant variety needs of our farmers, consumers, market access, Manufacturing, diversity and environmental sustainability

What are the main challenges facing the department, and how are you addressing them?

a) The main challenge facing the Plant Variety Testing & Protection (PVT&P) system include climate change and emerging pests and diseases, which derails evaluation and ultimately delaying the approval of new, resilient crop varieties.

b) Another challenge is the low uptake of Plant Breeders’ Rights among local breeders due to limited awareness and understanding.

i. The climate change challenges can be mitigated by enhancing forecasting systems to enable predict risks and planning for their management

ii. Additionally, enhancing uptake could be increased by expand­ing and intensifying awareness forums, integrating PVT&P ed­ucation into academic curricula, to increase local participation.

11. What drives your passion for this work, and what keeps you motivated?

This is my deep commitment to identifying, registering and protecting superior quality varieties that solves farmer problems, consumer preferences, market requirements, industrial raw material specifications, food and nutrition security and climate change requirements. When I see varieties that have gone through the PVT&P system creating impact in farming communities in the Country and beyond, supporting innovation by encouraging breeders develop better crop varieties that improve yields, quality, tolerate pests and diseases, and adapt to climate change is quite satisfying. Seeing new varieties successfully reach farmers, improve harvests, expand manufacturing, enhance export, and uplift their livelihoods is highly motivating!

12. What message would you like to share with plant breeders, farmers, and other stakeholders?

Plant breeders, farmers, and other stakeholders are encouraged to actively engage with the Plant Variety Testing & Protection (PVT&P) system to support Kenya’s agricultural growth. Breeders should protect their innovations through Plant Breeders’ Rights, while farmers are advised to use certified, improved seeds to boost productivity and resilience. Researchers, seed companies, and institutions should collaborate with KEPHIS to ensure compliance and promote innovation. Overall, cooperation and trust in the PVT&P system will help strengthen agriculture, improve food security, enhance sustainable agro- environment and support national development.

Courtesy: Kephis