Born and raised in the challenging arid and semi-arid Lands of Kenya, Peter Mutisya's passion for agriculture took root early as he witnessed the struggles faced by farmers in accessing quality seeds in his home in the ASALs of Kenya. Upon embarking on his University journey, Peter chose to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture driven by a deep-seated desire to make a difference in his community.
Fuelled by this determination, Peter founded PEAL Agro Company in Maukeni, a venture dedicated to producing innovative seed varieties such as maize and soya beans. Through strategic partnerships, such as the one with QBS established in 2018, PEAL Agro has flourished. "Our collaboration with QBS has been instrumental in our success. Together, we have focused on developing drought-tolerant and water-efficient crops across our seed portfolio," explained Mutisya, who is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Breeding at the University of Nairobi.
Despite gaining experience in developing parental lines for multinational corporations after graduation, his heart remained with his people and their agricultural needs.
“I wanted to apply the knowledge and skills I acquired in University to create climate-smart seeds and address the challenges faced by farmers.”Peter shared
PEAL Agro's latest endeavor involves the development of a bean seed that promises to thrive in diverse agro-climatic regions throughout Kenya, demonstrating the company's commitment to enhancing agricultural resilience and productivity nationwide.
The relationship between PEAL Agro Company and QBS revolves around producing parent seed. QBS plays a crucial role in bulking parental material, ensuring seed purity.
“”Purity is what drives our business because if you have pure seeds, the farmer will always come back to buy your seeds”.”says Peter
As breeders, PEAL Agro focuses on creating the best seed varieties, a process that can take up to 12 years from development to registration. Partnering with QBS has significantly improved the seed quality and efficiency of PEAL Agro's operations, addressing previous challenges and enhancing the company's reputation among farmers.
While the partnership has been beneficial, challenges such as currency fluctuations and seed production limitations due to weather conditions affect production. Peter emphasizes the need for continuous improvement to ensure that the finest quality parent seed is produced. Despite these hurdles, both companies remain happy with the continued partnership and are committed driving agricultural sustainability in Kenya.
