Kenya bans 77 pesticides over safety concerns
By: Citizen TV Kenya
In a major move to safeguard public health and the environment, Kenya’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced the withdrawal of 77 pesticide products from the local market. The decision follows a nationwide safety review conducted by the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), the regulatory authority overseeing agrochemical use in the country.
The announcement, made in Nairobi on Monday, highlights growing concerns in Kenya over the long-term risks posed by certain agricultural chemicals still in use despite bans or restrictions in other parts of the world.
“As part of our commitment to align with international best practices, this action will enhance food safety and support sustainable agriculture across Kenya,” said Kagwe.
The PCPB review assessed 430 pesticide formulations and concluded that dozens posed “unacceptable risks” to human health, livestock, crops, and the broader environment. Some of the banned substances include DDT, a historically controversial chemical once widely used to combat malaria but now globally restricted due to its environmental persistence; chlordane, a toxic insecticide; ethylene dichloride, a fumigant; and alachlor, a herbicide known for its carcinogenic potential.
Additional active ingredients removed from circulation include acephate, chlorothalonil, pymetrozine, thiacloprid, diuron, POE tallow amine, kasugamycin, and pyridalyl, along with their associated commercial formulations.
The Kenyan government has also introduced new regulatory conditions: all pest control products considered for local registration must now be legally approved in their country of origin. Furthermore, any chemical not currently approved for use in the United States, the European Union, Australia, or Canada will be barred from importation until further scientific review.
For a country like Zambia—where agriculture remains the lifeline for rural communities—this Kenyan move may spark regional debate about the continued use of some of these chemicals, which are still widely available across parts of southern Africa.
Farmers and agrochemical distributors in Kenya have been urged to comply with the new guidelines to ensure consumer protection and environmental safety. Authorities have indicated that enforcement and monitoring will be stepped up to prevent the reintroduction of these hazardous products through informal markets.