Kagwe ask COMESA member states to enforce unified pesticide bans

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has raised concerns over the continued use of hazardous pesticides across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), warning that inconsistent regulations among member states are threatening food safety, public health, and regional trade.

Speaking on Friday, August 8, 2025, at the 9th Joint COMESA Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment in Lusaka, Kagwe emphasised the urgent need for member countries to harmonise chemical safety standards and enforce unified bans on dangerous agrochemicals.

Cross-border pesticide risks

“The reality that pesticides banned in one country are still used just across the border undermines our collective Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) efforts,” Kagwe noted. “This situation exposes farmers, consumers, and markets to avoidable risks.”

He pointed out that fragmented policies create loopholes that unscrupulous traders exploit, resulting in contamination and weakening consumer confidence in food safety across the region.

“Harmonizing these standards is not optional it’s an urgent necessity if we are to protect public health,” said the Cabinet Secretary.

Kagwe further expressed Kenya’s readiness to support initiatives aimed at transforming COMESA from a forum for discussion into a platform for concrete economic and agricultural progress.

Kenya has proposed several measures, including the sharing of livestock vaccines, the development of protocols to facilitate cross-border trade in certified seeds, and the adoption of digital technologies to enhance agricultural planning.

Dialogue to action

In closing, Kagwe called for decisive leadership and swift action to address the problem of hazardous pesticides.

“Let this meeting be remembered not for the talks we had, but for the actions we took,” he said.

COMESA, which comprises 21 member states, faces pressing challenges in food safety and agricultural sustainability. Kenya’s push for unified chemical regulations marks a critical step toward safeguarding farmers, consumers, and markets across Eastern and Southern Africa.

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