In a major victory for environmental and public health advocates, the Government of Kenya has announced a bold move to ban over 50 harmful pesticide products from the market, signaling a transformative step toward a safer and more sustainable food system. The announcement, made by Mutahi Kagwe, EGH, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, on 7 May 2025, has been widely lauded by civil society, researchers, and farmers’ organizations. The decision aligns Kenya with international pesticide management best practices outlined by the FAO and WHO.
Ending Chemical Double Standards
The ban is supported by the recently enacted Business Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024, which addresses long-criticized chemical double standards allowing banned substances in exporting countries to be used in Kenya. The new law empowers regulators to reject such imports, ensuring that Kenyan farmers and consumers are no longer exposed to toxic agrochemicals outlawed elsewhere.
Calls for Full Enforcement and Transparency
While welcoming the move, stakeholders emphasized the importance of full and timely implementation. Concerns remain over previously flagged pesticides—scheduled for withdrawal by December 2024—that continue to be sold openly.
Civil society groups urge the Ministry of Agriculture and the Pesticides Control Products Board (PCPB) to enforce the ban strictly and release the full list of prohibited pesticides. Expected inclusions are hazardous ingredients such as Mancozeb, Paraquat, Glyphosate, Carbendazim, and several synthetic pyrethroids.
Strengthening Regulation and Public Participation
Advocates called for the establishment of an independent advisory panel of toxicologists, agronomists, farmers, and civil society representatives to guide pesticide regulation. They also pushed for improved public engagement, demanding transparency in decision-making and wider dissemination of risk assessment data.
Safer Alternatives and Institutional Support
A key demand is the promotion of safer pest control methods, including Integrated Pest Management (IPM), biopesticides, and agroecology. Stakeholders urged the Ministry to adopt the Farmers’ Resource Guide developed by the Route to Food Initiative (RTFI), which offers practical, low-toxicity approaches to farming.
Furthermore, calls were made to strengthen PCPB’s institutional capacity, complete the stalled national pesticide residue laboratory, and finalize legislation to transform PCPB into a fully-fledged regulatory authority.
Signatories and Support
The statement was signed by key organizations including Route to Food Initiative (RTFI), Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (BIBA Kenya), Kenya Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN), Consumer Grassroots Association (CGA), Resources Oriented Development Initiatives (RODI), Community Organization & Training for Risk Reduction (COTTR), Kenya Parliamentary Human Rights Association (KEPHRA), and Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD)—all united in their call for urgent action to ensure a toxic-free future for Kenyan agriculture.
