Biodiversity experts and sustainable agriculture proponents have commended the government's prohibition on the import and use of over 50 pesticide brands, citing its potential to safeguard public health and ecological integrity.
During a recent inspection of pyrethrum farms in Molo, Nakuru County, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe emphasized that the policy shift is part of a strategic initiative to boost local agrochemical production and revitalize Kenya's pyrethrum sector as a sustainable pest management solution.
"We are going to stop importing these over 50 products, as they will now be produced here in Kenya. So, your market will not necessarily be abroad. Your market will be right here in Kenya. The government is prioritizing safer, locally-produced alternatives and is reviving the pyrethrum industry as a sustainable solution," Kagwe stated.
While the ban is framed as an economic measure to enhance domestic production, environmental organizations highlight its critical public health and ecological benefits. Many of the prohibited pesticides contain active ingredients already banned in the European Union (EU) and other jurisdictions due to their association with carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, and severe ecosystem disruption.
The Seeds Savers Network (SSN) Director, Daniel Wanjama welcomed the decision but questioned the prolonged approval of these hazardous substances in Kenya. He noted the irony of European-manufactured agrochemicals being prohibited in their countries of origin yet exported to Kenya, undermining both environmental and market security.
The excessive application of herbicides and synthetic pesticides has been linked to the alarming decline in pollinator populations, particularly bees, which are important for crop pollination. Their depletion poses a direct threat to ecosystem stability, agricultural productivity, and long-term food security.
"African countries, especially Kenya, are losing access to European markets because of chemical residues in their produce, chemicals ironically manufactured in Europe but banned for use there. As a result, what we grow often can't be exported and ends up being consumed only locally, raising serious health concerns such as cancer," Wanjama observed.
A 2020 report by the Heinrich Böll Foundation revealed concerning levels of pesticide residues in Kenyan agricultural produce, with up to 60 per cent of sampled crops, including tomatoes and kale, exceeding recommended safety thresholds.
At Seed Savers Network, we train farmers to make their own organic herbicides and fertilizers. We also advise them to move away from monoculture, as it increases the risk of pest, weed, and disease outbreaks.