Kenya withdraws 77 pesticide products over safety risks
The review was driven by the need to ensure all pest control products registered in Kenya meet current safety standards for both human health and environmental protection.
KENYA – Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS), Mutahi Kagwe, has announced the withdrawal of 77 end-use pesticide products from the Kenyan market over safety concerns.
The move follows a recent review by the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), which assessed 430 products using both scientific data submitted by applicants and regulatory findings from international agencies.
The review found that several of these products posed unacceptable risks to human health, crops, livestock, and the environment.
Therefore, in addition to the 77 products withdrawn, 202 have been restricted, while 151 others placed under review by the PCPB. A decision on their approval is expected by December 2025.
In a statement, CS Kagwe emphasized that the review was driven by the need to ensure all pest control products (PCPs) registered in Kenya meet current safety standards for both human health and environmental protection.
Among the products the ministry banned are DDT (Dichlorodiphenyl Trichloroethane), common for agricultural use; chlordane, an insecticide; ethylene dichloride, a fumigant; and alachlor, a herbicide.
Meanwhile, such active ingredients as acephate, chlorothalonil, pymetrozine, thiacloropid, diuron, POE tallow amine, kasugamycin, and pyridalyl and their associated end-use products have been withdrawn from the Kenyan market.
The ministry has also directed that all PCPs considered for registration in Kenya must be registered in their country of origin to safeguard the public.
Likewise, internationally banned PCPs shall not be registered for use in Kenya and the importation of any molecule under review that is not approved in the European Union, the United States of America, Australia, and Canada shall be prohibited until finalization and review.
Farmers and distributors have been urged to comply with the regulations to ensure safety for Kenyans.
“This action is part of our continuous efforts to align Kenya’s agricultural practices with international best standards, ensure food safety for all Kenyans, and promote sustainable agriculture,” Kagwe stated.
Just weeks prior, CS Kagwe had also announced the potential banning of 50 pesticide brands that are prohibited in their countries of origin, reinforcing the government’s commitment to safer, locally produced alternatives.
Civil society groups and farmers’ rights organizations have since called for full public disclosure of the names of all banned products.
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