The role of this office is: To establish a functional Plant Breeders Rights system in Kenya; To work out and establish a coding system for all crops; To receive and process applications for breeder's rights; and to maintain a register of varieties released and protected as well as those released and not protected in Kenya.

Role of the Plant Breeders Rights Office
- Establish a functional Plant Breeders Rights system in Kenya.
- Work out and establish a coding system for all crops
- Receive and process applications for breeders rights
- Maintain a register of varieties released and protected as well as those releases and not protected in Kenya

KEPHIS liases with the offices of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) of which Kenya is a member under the 1978 convention. Breeders are therefore requested to register their varieties for protection at the earliest opportunity. Farmers are also advised to observe breeders rights while undertaking their crop production programs.

IN addition the Plant Breeders Rights Registration Services conducts National Performance Trials (NPT) and District Uniformity and Stability (DUS) tests to ensure that only superior well adapted varieties that are distinct and stable are released to Kenyan farmer for cultivation (whether protected or not protected). Such released varieties are indexed (catalogued) for ease of reference by the farmers and seed traders.

The seeds of the released varieties are rigorously maintained by the breeder and regularly supplies high quality breeders seeds to the seed merchants for further multiplication to meet national / international seed demand. This seed increase is undertaken through a comprehensive seed quality control and certification system.