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PS Ng'eno noted that the increasing use of pesticides in the growing agricultural sector poses hazardous risks to human health.
- PS Ng'eno said that it has been a matter of concern since agriculture is one of the largest employers in the country.
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Environment and Climate Change PS Festus Ng'eno has said Kenya's pesticide use has soared highly in the last thirty years, with over 200,000 tonnes being applied annually.
During the launch of the Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management (FARM) programme, PS Ng'eno noted that the increasing use of pesticides in the growing agricultural sector poses hazardous risks to human health.
"The agricultural sector is a major user of pesticides and more so the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) pesticides, highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) and agricultural plastics which continue to pose serious risks to human and environmental health," Ng'eno said.
Others present were PS Crop Development Collins Marangu, FAO Representative in Kenya, Ambassador Carla Mucavi, FARM Task Manager Eloise Touni, and Pest Control Products Board CEO, Fredrick Muchiri.
PS Ng'eno said that it has been a matter of concern since agriculture is one of the largest employers in the country.
"The agriculture sector employs 60 per cent of the total workforce and is the mainstay of Kenya’s economy giving a contribution of about 22.4 per cent to the GDP, which compares to a regional average of 24 per cent," Ngeno added.
The PS noted that through the initiative, FARM seeks to strengthen investment in the adoption of alternatives and sustainable management of agrochemicals and agriplastics in Africa and Latin America through pilots in Kenya and Uruguay.
He addressed the use of plastics as being another environmental issue related to agriculture that needs to be combatted.
"The use of agricultural plastics is increasing, with 10 per cent of the one million tonnes used yearly in plant and animal production being directly used for agriculture while 50 per cent is used for food packaging," Ng'eno said.
FARM is a five-year programme funded by GEF and implemented by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
The programme will among other interventions catalyse a framework for regulatory and financial investment to detoxify the sector by reducing the use of the most harmful agrochemicals and plastics in the agricultural systems.
"This will be achieved through promoting the adoption of low and non-chemical alternatives for improved human and environmental health," Ng'eno added.
This comes after National Assembly Gladys Boss last week requested the parliamentary health committee to ban all 262 pesticides alleged to cause cancer.