In the pristine coastal regions of Kenya, resides a vibrant and diverse community — the Mijikenda.

The name Mijikenda means “Nine Tribes”, a reflection of the Duruma, Giriama, Chonyi, Digo, Kauma, Kambe, Rabai, Ribe, and Jibana. All are distinct groups yet intertwined by history, values, and cultural heritage.

The tribes are also well-known as custodians of the Kayas, homesteads surrounded by sacred forests that likewise protected, nourished, and shaped their communities across generations. Beyond providing a home, the Kayas also represent something unique and invaluable — a sense of identity.

Today, the Mijikenda continue to protect their sacred ancestral lands and preserve their traditions. Many have become farmers as well, smaller in scale compared to upcountry regions, yet cultivating vital foods like rice, beans, cassava, and maize.

Around 2021, Grace Samba Kalachu found herself exploring the bustling EAGC Coast Region Exhibition. She is a farmer, practicing mixed farming on her seventeen-acre land. Looking around and eager to gather new knowledge, she was driven by a goal: to find a way to safely preserve seeds for the future.

“If I store my seeds in your bags, will they germinate?” Grace approached Albert Anyange, GrainPro’s representative. This sparked curiosity, as many farmers often just buy seeds from the agrovets. Only a few recycle their seeds for the next season.

Albert learned that it would be for maize during their exchange.  Generally, he recommended a Collapsible Dryer Case and Hermetic Bags, along with how to properly prepare and secure the viability of her seeds during long storage periods.

Convinced and content, Grace purchased the solutions she needed and headed back with newly discovered knowledge and tools to try and hope for the better.

Time marched forward, and on the 25th of December 2024, Albert geared up to celebrate a special Christmas with his friend’s family. That was when he found out that the lady farmer he met in the not-so-distant past was related to his friend.

She also remembers how he helped her.

“Follow me to see what your good bags are doing for me!” Grace, at some point, excitedly invited Albert to see her farm, only a walking distance away. The farm was well-developed, and to his surprise, she had five 90-kg bags of colorful shelled maize.

As seasonal rains failed, many farmers experienced severe losses across the country. Albert knew this and took the chance to learn more about the maize she cultivated — the Mdzihana maize.

“It never fails and is not affected by agricultural seasonal changes.” Her first reason already carried a lot of weight with the recent circumstances. Yet, her motivation flows much deeper.

Beneath its beauty and hardiness, the Mdzihana maize is a cherished possession of her tribe, the Jibana. It sustained her ancestors and the other eight tribes, likewise helping build their colorful history and resilience.

In Grace’s clan, Mdzihana maize seeds have been passed from generation to generation. Her late mother was selected by their community as a custodian of these special seeds. When her mother passed, her maize granary was fully consumed.

All of the seeds were also gone.

As time went on, Grace healed and soon started her long search for the same seeds her mother had. It took her five years and a fateful visit to her aunt, who lived miles away. She was served with a meal made of Mdzihana maize, brewing an excitement that turned into a heartfelt conversation.

During their talk, her aunt was displeased to find out that Grace had switched to white maize. Her aunt believed that white maize was not only less nutritious than Mdzihana maize but also represented the gradual decline of their tribe's culture and heritage.

At the end of that day, Grace’s aunt gave her the few Mdzihana seeds she had saved and dubbed her the new custodian of the seeds. It was a title that gave her back an identity almost lost and a new sense of responsibility in rekindling her people’s legacy.

Grace has been ecstatic as she can now harvest up to forty 90-kg bags of Mdzihana maize from an acre of land, regardless of how the season turns out. The discovery she made during the 2021 event has assisted her greatly.

“I am no longer fearful of losses like the times I stored using traditional methods.”

For four seasons up to now, Grace has dried Mdzihana maize using the Collapsible Dryer Case and ensured that the seeds are dried well. After that, she stored the seed in Hermetic Bags. She added, “Drying has become fast and effective. My storage system has been simplified, and the quantities stored have increased significantly.”

In honoring tradition and preserving legacy, Grace also discovered more benefits from cultivating the precious Mdzihana maize. This nutritious and versatile crop helped her gain a better income, earning around ten times more than when she worked with white maize.

Grace Samba’s current strategy is to sell more Mzidhana maize as seeds instead of crops, helping her build herself while sharing their ancestral treasure with the world.

Looking back then, facing the future, Grace said with a hearty laugh, “I have truly become the queen of the Mdzihana maize seeds.”