The Mijikenda, meaning “Nine Tribes,” are coastal communities in Kenya known as guardians of sacred forest homesteads called Kayas, which embody their identity and heritage.
Among them is Grace Samba Kalachu, a Jibana farmer and custodian of a traditional maize variety called Mdzihana maize, whose seeds once sustained her ancestors. After losing her inherited seed stock when her late mother’s granary was emptied, Grace spent five years searching until an aunt shared a small amount of saved Mdzihana seeds and passed on the role of custodian.
In 2021, at the EAGC Coast Region Exhibition, Grace met GrainPro’s representative, who advised her to use a Collapsible Dryer Case and Hermetic Bags to safely preserve seeds. With these solutions, Grace now securely stores her treasured Mdzihana maize, protects it from losses, and consistently harvests up to forty 90 kg bags per acre, helping safeguard both her livelihood and her tribe’s cultural legacy.
Read the full story here: https://www.grainpro.com/stories/the-queen-of-mdzihana-maize-a-story-of-legacy-loss-and-rediscovery
