• The proposed legislation roots for the creation of an independent Pesticide Control Products Authority
• Lobby groups have called for the withdrawal of pesticides harmful to human health and the environment
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
Agrochemical industry stakeholders have welcomed the upgrading of the Pest Control Product Act through the Pesticide Bill.
The proposed legislation roots for the creation of an independent Pesticide Control Products Authority, upgrading of the qualifications needed to run businesses and premises handling pesticides and make pesticide stock records compulsory.
The Agrochemicals Association of Kenya, Fresh Produce Consortium, Cereal Growers Association and Veterinary Inputs Suppliers Association of Kenya say the bill further proposes the labelling of pesticides sold in Kenya to the global system of hazard warnings – the Global Harmonised System of Hazard Warnings.
If passed by Parliament, it will replace the Pest Control Product Act that has been in existence since 1982.
Agriculture CAS Andrew Tuimur said the bill is intended to streamline the agrochemical industry.
“This will also help in settling the debate on the safety of pesticides in the country,” Tuimur told the Star by phone yesterday.
In August, lobby groups called for the withdraw of pesticides containing ingredients harmful to human health and the environment already banned in Europe.
In their August 20 report, the group noted that 75 products sold by foreign companies were registered in Kenya yet they had been withdrawn from the European market. Similarly, 55 banned products were locally sold by Chinese companies and 16 by Indian companies.
However, Agrochemicals Association of Kenya CEO Eric Kimunguyi said Kenya’s rigorous pesticide control prevents any pesticide banned as a health hazard or pollutant under the international Rotterdam or Stockholm conventions from being sold locally. Kenya is a signatory of the two conventions.
He said new regulations are currently being assessed for their impact ahead of public participation in their final amendments.
“The new legislation, spanning a new Pesticides Bill and seven new regulations will strengthen this, and the urgent matter is to now complete the legislative process and move swiftly to a fully updated expert regulatory regime. This will continue to ban pesticides that have been internationally banned on health grounds,” Kimunguyi said.
The proposed law recognises county governments and spells out their responsibilities in training farmers on the responsible use of pesticides.
Where a pesticide is already registered and new scientific evidence emerges that prompts a ban by any one country or regulator, the existing PCP Act automatically triggers a local review and re-registration procedure in Kenya, Kimunguyi said.
“The outcome from that review is then based on the strength of the scientific evidence. However, if scientific evidence is strong enough to prompt a ban under the global conventions governing dangerous chemicals, Kenya will automatically ban the product and issue a phase-out plan.”
Fresh Produce Consortium CEO Okisegere Ojepat said while pesticides are essential to food production, human health and environmental integrity must be ensured at all times.
“Pesticides are critical to our food production, especially in view of Fall Army Worm last year destroying 70 per cent of our maize production in the absence of a pesticide regime, and international research showing that pesticides increase food production by an average 40 per cent,” Ojepat said.