Illustration./FILE
Pesticide regulators and security agencies are stepping up efforts to curb the illegal entry and sale of unregistered pest-control products, with smugglers increasingly using porous border points to sneak them into Kenya.
The illicit products are finding their way into farming communities, raising concerns about their potential impact on farmers, crops, livestock, food safety and the environment.
Joel Mutai, the aak-GROW chief executive officer, said the illicit trade was largely driven by unregistered products smuggled into the country from neighbouring countries.
He said the trade was hurting legitimate businesses while confusing farmers who may struggle to distinguish between approved products and those that have not undergone regulatory checks.
“We have been working a lot with government agencies through a multi-stakeholder approach. We are happy that the government is taking a very deliberate step to use intelligence and work with the DCI and the police,” Mutai said.
He was speaking during a roundtable discussion with editors. It was organised by aak-GROW in partnership with the Kenya Editors Guild to discuss emerging challenges facing Kenya’s agriculture and food production sector.
Mutai said smugglers were using increasingly sophisticated methods to evade detection, including replicating the packaging and appearance of legitimate products.
“This can result in products that are not approved by the Kenyan authorities and which can be dangerous to the environment and human health,” Mutai said.
He said aak-GROW was working with the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) and the Anti-Counterfeit Authority to strengthen enforcement against illicit products and ensure those involved faced legal action.
The scale of the wider counterfeit trade was highlighted in February 2025 when the Anti-Counterfeit Authority said it had arrested a suspect in Kitengela found with counterfeit agrochemicals valued at about Sh3.4 million.
The authority said the haul included thousands of product units, empty containers, caps and packaging materials.
Mutai said intelligence-led enforcement was necessary because smugglers were changing their methods to avoid detection at major border points.
He said illicit products were increasingly being moved in small quantities through porous crossings, including by people travelling on foot or using motorcycles.
“Because the regulator is now present at the key points of entry, it is not possible for them to bring in large quantities. They are coming in small units,” he said.
Mutai said the industry could not estimate the volume of illegal products entering the country because the trade was largely hidden.
However, he said stronger surveillance and enforcement had helped reduce the large-scale influx of illicit products.
“We want to eliminate them totally by making sure that the regulator is very keen in its work,” he said.
The World Health Organisation says pesticides require strict regulation because exposure to high quantities can cause acute poisoning, while longer-term exposure to some pesticides has been associated with health hazards. It also stresses the importance of monitoring pesticide residues in food and the environment.
Mutai urged farmers to take precautions when buying pest-control products advising that buyers must check whether a product has a valid registration number issued by the PCPB.
He also advised farmers to establish whether the agro-dealer selling the product is licensed by the regulator.
“First of all, the first thing the farmer needs to check is: do we have a registration number? That is by the Pest Control Products Board. Then, where have I bought this particular product? Is this agro-dealer licensed by the Pest Control Products Board?” he said.
The PCPB maintains an online list of registered pest-control products, including conventional pesticides and biopesticides approved for use in Kenya.
Mutai warned that some illicit products are packaged in foreign languages and may be marketed for uses that have not been approved in Kenya.
The discussion brought together editors, reporters and agricultural sector experts to discuss responsible pest management, science-based regulation, counterfeit and illicit agricultural inputs, misinformation and changing regulatory requirements.
Mutai said the media had an important role in helping farmers and the public understand the risks associated with unregistered and counterfeit agricultural inputs.
He urged journalists to provide accurate, balanced and evidence-based information while maintaining engagement with regulators, researchers, farmers and other players in the sector.
“We are discussing how we can partner in informing the public about the agro-inputs used for pest control and the challenges farmers are facing,” he said.
Kenya Editors Guild chief executive Linda Bach said crop protection intersects with food security, farmer livelihoods, consumer safety, environmental sustainability, science, regulation and the wider economy.
“These are often highly technical subjects, yet journalists must translate that complexity for the public without sacrificing accuracy or context. That requires access to credible scientific and regulatory information and experts who can help journalists understand the issues,” she said.
