BY GUYTAN OMONDI
Kenya's agriculture sector accounts for roughly a third of the nation's GDP and provides jobs for over 40 percent of the population, while serving as the backbone of sustenance for 70 percent of rural communities.
This central role makes it a cornerstone for driving economic growth, ensuring food security, and alleviating poverty. Pest Control Products (PCPs) are essential for sustaining the productivity of Kenya's agricultural sector, which is crucial for both foreign income from exports and local food security.
Key export commodities, such as coffee, horticultural products, and tropical fruits, heavily rely on PCPs to protect crops from insects, diseases, and weeds. By preventing infestations that could devastate entire harvests, these products help ensure stable yields and agricultural resilience.
The damage caused by pests in Kenya and neighboring countries is more severe than in many parts of the world due to heat and weather patterns that accelerate pest growth and proliferation.
This situation has worsened with climate change, with current data revealing that a 2°C temperature rise could lead to crop losses reaching an estimated 90% without pest control.
For example, the coffee berry borer's population increased 2.5 million-fold between 1984 and 2011, climbing 300 meters in altitude per decade and now affecting nearly all of Kenya’s coffee crops.
The country's ideal pest conditions have also attracted invasive species like Tuta Absoluta in 2013 and the Fall Armyworm in 2017, leading to significant crop losses as their life cycles shorten and egg volumes increase.
Additionally, the surge in insect populations has driven up viral infections such as Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND), which can destroy up to 95% of crops. Invasive weeds, such as striga, mesquite, and parthenium, further threaten crops, pastoral land, and biodiversity.
Despite the importance of pest control products for safeguarding crops and public health, concerns about environmental sustainability and health risks are growing.
The issue lies not in the products themselves—designed to target pests—but in their application. Misuse and overuse have highlighted significant gaps in the responsible use of these products, often stemming from a lack of adherence to safety guidelines.
Users frequently overlook label instructions, whether unintentionally or through neglect, resulting in unintended consequences for non-target species, ecosystems, and human health.
To address these challenges, the pest control sector is advocating product stewardship as a proactive solution. Innovations such as Spray Service Providers (SSPs)—trained and certified farmers who apply pesticides professionally on behalf of others—are bridging the gap.
The sector also conducts extensive training for farmers on responsible practices, such as observing the Pre- Harvest Interval (PHI) to ensure safe, residue-free food.
Additionally, initiatives like establishing container collection centers for the safe disposal of used pesticide containers exemplify a commitment to environmental sustainability.
Currently, Kenya faces high food insecurity, primarily due to the long-term inability of cereal crops to expand sufficiently to keep pace with population growth. Reducing the availability of pest control products could exacerbate this issue, potentially leading to broader economic repercussions, including an expected 6% reduction in GDP by 2025.
This contraction could result in job losses and reduced income for households dependent on agriculture. The downstream effects on related industries, such as transportation, logistics, and retail, could further compound these economic challenges. Instead of reducing the availability of pest control products—reflecting the European Union’s hazard-based principle of withdrawal due to safety concerns—there should be a balanced approach.
This approach entails responsible and judicious pesticide use, promotion of safer alternatives, and a phased withdrawal that allows end users sufficient time to adapt.
This will aid in preventing the sale and use of illegal products within the country. Training border control officers to prevent the importation of illegal pesticides is essential, as is the proper sensitization of farmers regarding regulatory changes to prevent the use of products long after they have been withdrawn or restricted. Moreover, accelerated research and development (R&D), combined with adaptive farm-level pest management practices, could ease the transition.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM), supported by training, funding, and public information campaigns, offers a sustainable path forward, ensuring farmers can maintain yields and quality.
Finally, we must advocate for policies that prioritize food safety, environmental sustainability, and public health. Safeguarding human lives and the critical biodiversity upon which our farmers and food production depend should be our foremost priority.
The author is a Director of Research and Development at Pretac AgResearch Limited.
