The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr. Andrew Karanja, has led other stakeholders in ratifying the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) strategic plan on pesticides.
The Departmental Committee on Health of the National Assembly will also follow up on the development on the implementation status of the recommendations regarding withdrawal of harmful chemical pesticides in the Kenyan market.
They also aim to discuss the issue of pesticides in depth, aiming to enhance awareness and foster policies on pest control and regulation of pest control products.
Speaking at a Mombasa hotel, the CS said that they are going to dive into the matter of pesticides to determine whether there is solid evidence that the chemicals pose harm to both livestock and humans.
He also noted that shall chart a way forward and identify practical solutions to address any potential risks.
Dr. Karanja said they intend to come up with solid solutions by the end of the retreat, citing that the government, through his Ministry is focused on increasing agricultural productivity and, at all times, ensuring that inputs used for production are of quality and safe to both the people and the environment.
“If there is any poison in our pesticides, we want to understand so that we have full information to give the public and educate them. We have requested the Agency which is in charge of the pesticide in Kenya to come and explain it to us in great detail,” he said.
He cautioned that all pesticides, if used incorrectly, are harmful and poisonous.
The Chairman of the Committee, John Kariuri Mutunga, said that the parliament enacts the laws, policies, and regulations, and in doing these laws, they do it in close consultation with the ministries.
“As a committee, we have been instrumental in looking at what areas in the sectors are not properly covered. In this case, the poisonous products are basically either weed killers, insect killers, or pest killers; generally, they are all killers, but there are professional ways to use and handle poison,” he said.
Mutunga noted that they have asked the Ministry to present the content by bringing on board the scientists in the Ministry to help them understand how they manage the use of chemicals across Kenya and how they relate to and resonate with what happens with the rest of the world.
“Some people are alleging that there are some chemicals that are being used in Kenya that are banned in other countries; we need to know what is the truth about these allegations, which chemicals are we talking about, and how the Pest Control Board protects Kenyans from dangers associated with such matters,” Mutunga said.
He pledged that they would get to the depths of the matter and be able to tell Kenyans the actual truth based on the scientific evidence presented to them by scientists.
The Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) is responsible for regulating all issues pertaining to pest control products (or pesticides) for use in crops and in public health, regarding importation, exportation, manufacture, distribution, use, and disposal as prescribed in Pest Control Products Act Cap 346, Laws of Kenya, and regulations made thereunder. The regulations cover both conventional and biological pest control products.
By Fatma Said
