On 27th November 2025, the High Court in Machakos struck down parts of the Seeds and Plant Varieties (Amendment) Act 2012, ending more than a decade of criminalizing indigenous seed exchange, a practice at the heart of Kenyan farming. This documentary follows Africa Uncensored reporter Cynthia Gichiri, a 2025 Bertha Challenge Fellow, as she investigates how the SPVAA 2012 was crafted and whose interests it served. Her trail leads into boardrooms, ministries, and the corporate networks that pushed a law many farmers say stole their seed sovereignty. Through testimonies, records, and field reporting, Cynthia reveals how the law reshaped rural life: shrinking biodiversity, weakening smallholder resilience, and tightening dependency on commercial seed giants in a changing climate. This is a story about seeds, power, and the fight to reclaim both.
The Seed Syndicate Part 2

Originally published by
17 Dec 2025 · africauncensored.online
Independent investigative journalism platform producing public-interest reporting, documentaries and accountability journalism.
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