Farmers Trained on Safe Pesticide Use to Combat Health, Environmental Risks

In Summary

• Over 10,000 Kenyan farmers trained on safe pesticide use in 2024–2025.
• Training addresses misuse, counterfeits, and Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs).
• HHPs, linked to cancer and environmental harm, make up 76% of pesticide use.
• Farmers learn proper application, storage, and use of protective gear.
• Counterfeit pesticides, 20% of market, exacerbate health and ecological risks.
• Government and NGOs push for biopesticides and stricter regulations.

Kenya is intensifying efforts to train farmers on safe pesticide use to curb health risks and environmental contamination caused by Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) and counterfeit products. Over 10,000 smallholder farmers across counties like Meru, Kirinyaga, and Nakuru have been trained (2024–2025) on proper pesticide application, storage, and disposal, according to the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) and the Route to Food Initiative (RTFI).

The training programs, supported by organizations like aak-GROW/CropLife Kenya and the Heinrich Böll Foundation, address the misuse of HHPs, which account for 76% of the 3,068 tonnes of pesticides used in Kenya in 2020. These pesticides, including chlorpyrifos, glyphosate, and mancozeb, are linked to serious health issues like cancer and reproductive disorders, as well as environmental damage to soil, water, and pollinators like bees.

PCPB CEO Fredrick Muchiri emphasized the urgency of training. “Misuse such as applying herbicides like Roundup to dry crops, contaminates food and harms consumers,” he said at a Nairobi workshop on July 15, 2025. Farmers are taught to use personal protective equipment (PPE), read labels, and adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce reliance on HHPs.

Counterfeit pesticides, estimated at 20% of the market, worsen the crisis by introducing unregulated toxins. Training initiatives include educating farmers and Agrovet shop owners to identify fake products, with radio campaigns and customs officer training to curb illegal imports. “Counterfeits undermine food safety and farmer health,” said Erick Kimunguyi, CEO of aak-GROW/CropLife Kenya.

In Meru, a 2021 study found 60% of farmers lack PPE due to cost or awareness, leading to acute poisoning cases. Only 32–43% of farmers there had prior training on safe pesticide handling, highlighting the gap now being addressed. Jane Wambui, a Kirinyaga farmer, noted, “Training has taught us to use gloves and store pesticides safely, reducing health risks.”

The government plans to ban 50 HHP products by December 2025, following a 2023 review, and is promoting biopesticides, which currently make up only 2% of pesticide use due to high costs. RTFI’s Farmers Resource Guide, launched in December 2024, offers agroecological alternatives like crop rotation and organic pest control, with farmer Sylvia Kuria stating, “We’ve proven food can be grown without toxic pesticides.”

Inadequate monitoring remains a challenge, with no continuous tracking of pesticide residues or chronic health effects. Environmental contamination of water and soil is also unrecorded, prompting calls for robust monitoring systems. The PCPB is collaborating with the EAC to strengthen regional regulations, with Kenya leading in pesticide risk assessment.