Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has now banned 77 harmful pesticides, citing safety concerns.
Kagwe said the ministry has completed a comprehensive review of pesticide active ingredients currently registered in the Kenyan market.
This was undertaken by the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), which is mandated to ensure all Pest Control Products (PCPs) authorised for use in the country are safe for human health and the environment. "PCPB undertook a thorough review of 430 end-use products, utilising scientific information provided by applicants and reviews of regulatory decisions made by reputable international agencies on the respective molecules contained in the products," said Kagwe in a statement Monday.
Following scientific assessments and stakeholder consultations, he said the review identified certain active ingredients and associated end-use products that pose unacceptable risks to human health, crops, livestock, and the environment. "As a result, we have taken decisive regulatory action to withdraw 77 end-use products from the Kenyan market and to restrict the use of 202 products on various crops," the CS said.
