Kenya Steps Up Pesticide Crackdown as Illegal Imports Fall by 95 Percent

Kenya has intensified its crackdown on illegal and unsafe pesticides after the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) reported an estimated 95 per cent decline in unauthorised pesticide imports entering the country.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the government would not allow pesticides prohibited elsewhere over health and safety concerns to find their way into the Kenyan market.

“My pronouncement is clear: a pesticide banned anywhere in the world will be banned in Kenya,” Kagwe said, calling for similar controls across the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

The Cabinet Secretary said stronger regional controls were necessary to prevent products prohibited in one country from simply being redirected to another market.

The government’s position comes as the PCPB expands surveillance at Kenya’s borders and ports. PCPB Chief Executive Fredrick Muchiri said the regulator now has officers stationed at 10 major gazetted entry points, compared with 2024 when it had no permanent officers deployed at points of entry.

Increased surveillance has also targeted porous border sections, including the Loitoktok area, which authorities have identified as a route for illegal pesticide movement.

The figures were presented during engagements between the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Malindi.

Kagwe’s position also follows a scientific review by the PCPB that assessed 430 pesticide products. The review resulted in 77 end-use products being withdrawn from the Kenyan market, while 202 products were restricted for use on certain crops and 151 were placed under further review.

The crackdown is now extending deeper into the domestic supply chain. The Cabinet Secretary has directed the PCPB to conduct nationwide inspections of agrovet shops to ensure products on sale are registered, genuine, compliant with approved requirements and within their shelf life.

Expired, counterfeit, smuggled and unauthorised pesticides found during inspections are being removed from the market, with enforcement action taken against those responsible.

The PCPB is also deploying spectrometer technology to help identify counterfeit and non-conforming products. Muchiri said more than 80 per cent of cases arising from arrests had successfully been prosecuted, while enforcement officers are receiving specialised training at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Training School.

The training is intended to strengthen investigations, evidence collection and prosecution of pesticide-related offences.

Muchiri also cautioned against interpreting the detection of pesticide residues in food as evidence that the food is automatically unsafe. He said food safety assessments must consider established Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), which determine whether detected residues remain within prescribed safety levels.

He said about 80 per cent of reported samples met the required standards, while all samples assessed against applicable MRLs were within prescribed safety limits.

The issue has also prompted calls for better communication with farmers. Senators, led by Agriculture Committee Chairperson David Wakoli, urged regulators to ensure farmers receive current information on banned, restricted and authorised pesticides.

In response, the PCPB has begun training county agricultural extension officers on pesticide regulation, identification of illegal products, responsible chemical use and food safety requirements. The officers are expected to serve as a link between the regulator and farmers at the grassroots level.

Despite the reported reduction in illegal imports, Muchiri said inadequate funding and staffing remain major challenges for the regulator. The PCPB’s Exchequer allocation has increased from about KSh114 million in 2024 to KSh216 million in the current financial year, while its approved staff establishment has grown from about 60 to 275 positions.

The Board is seeking approximately KSh350 million in additional Exchequer funding to recruit and deploy more personnel, strengthen border surveillance and expand inspections of agrovet outlets.

The government now intends to sustain the gains made at border points while widening domestic inspections and farmer awareness. At the regional level, Kenya is also pushing for harmonised pesticide controls across EAC and COMESA to close cross-border loopholes and strengthen protection of farmers, consumers and agricultural exports.