News Published: 15 October 2026

Strengthening Kenya’s Native Tree Seed Systems 

On 6–8 October 2026, BGCI convened two workshops in Nairobi under the Right Tree, Right Place, Right Purpose – Seed (RTRP-Seed) Project, bringing together stakeholders to strengthen Kenya’s native tree seed systems and advance the development of a national native tree seed strategy. 

Native Tree Species Supply and Demand Workshop 

On 6th October, the workshop brought together 52 participants from 35 institutions, representing native tree seed and seedling suppliers, restoration practitioners, policymakers, funders and other stakeholders to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within Kenya’s native tree seed systems. 

Through presentations, breakout discussions and plenary sessions, participants discussed the current state of native tree seed supply and demand, identified key gaps, and developed recommendations to strengthen the sector. Discussions highlighted opportunities to improve access to high-quality native tree seeds and planting materials, strengthen technical capacity, stimulate demand, and enhance coordination among stakeholders. 

Kenya Native Tree Seed Strategy Consultation Workshop 

On 7–8 October, 25 participants from 16 institutions representing government agencies, research and academic institutions, the private sector, NGOs, and community representatives came together to collaboratively develop a national native tree seed strategy for strengthening the supply and use of high-quality native tree seeds and planting materials. 

Building on previous stakeholder consultations, policy dialogues and assessments of Kenya’s tree seed sector, participants explored strategic priorities, assessed key issues, and worked towards defining actionable goals and objectives to strengthen the sector. Discussions also focused on developing action plans, establishing implementation timelines, and identifying governance and monitoring frameworks to support the strategy’s implementation. 

The way forward: Insights and recommendations from both workshops will inform the continued development of the Kenya’s Native Tree Seed Strategy, providing a framework to improve coordination among stakeholders, strengthen seed sourcing and quality assurance, recognise seed source custodians and indigenous knowledge, and improve access to quality native tree planting materials. 

By bringing together diverse perspectives across the seed value chain, these workshops marked an important step towards building stronger seed systems that support landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience, helping ensure that the right native trees are available for the right places and purposes. 

The RTRP-Seed Project is funded by the German Federal Government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI), with Landscape Alliance, BGCI and UNIQUE land use GmbH as steering partners.