MALINDI, August 2026 – Agriculture Cabinet Secretary(CS) Mutahi Kagwe has ordered a nationwide crackdown on unsafe pesticides, saying Kenya will not be a dumping ground for products banned in other countries.
“My position is clear. Any pesticide banned anywhere in the world will be banned in Kenya. If it is banned in one EAC country, it should be banned in all EAC countries. We are pushing for the same standard across COMESA,” CS Kagwe said.
Kagwe spoke during an engagement between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries chaired by Sen. David Wakoli in Malindi.
He said the government is tightening controls to protect farmers and consumers from chemicals linked to serious health risks, including long-term exposure and cancer.
The tough stance is already bearing fruit. Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) CEO Fredrick Muchiri said illegal and smuggled pesticides have dropped by an estimated 95 percent.
Muchiri attributed the drop to deployment of enforcement officers to 10 major border points and ports. In 2024, PCPB had no permanent officers at points of entry. Heightened surveillance, including along the porous Loitoktok border, has helped seal smuggling routes.
The crackdown builds on a scientific review in which PCPB withdrew 77 pesticide products from the market. Out of 430 products reviewed, 202 were restricted on various crops while 151 were placed under further review.
The Board has now been directed to intensify nationwide agrovet inspections to flush out counterfeit, expired, smuggled and unregistered products. Officers are deploying spectrometer technology to detect fake products, while over 80 percent of cases from arrests have been successfully prosecuted.
Enforcement officers are also undergoing specialized training at the DCI Training School to strengthen investigations and evidence handling.
On food safety, Muchiri cautioned against equating detection of pesticide residues with unsafe food, saying safety should be judged against Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). He said 80 percent of samples tested met standards, and 100 percent of those assessed against applicable MRLs were within safe limits.
He urged researchers to consult regulators before publishing findings that could alarm consumers and hurt farmers and exports.
Following concerns by Senators that farmers lack updated information, PCPB has started training county extension officers on pesticide regulation, identification of illegal products and responsible use.
