Roundup: Farmers advised against weed killer use

Players in the agricultural value chain have called for the phase-out of the glyphosate-based weed killer RoundUp in Kenya.

Various nations around the world have joined the call to abolish the use of the herbicide following a wave of lawsuits against the manufacturer Monsanto and parent company Bayer after several users were diagnosed with cancer.

At least 30 countries have so far prohibited or restricted the use of glyphosate, but Kenya has remained non-committal on the issue.

Philip Nyandieka, the general manager Tinga, East Africa’s largest tractor sharing platform said it is evident that many countries, including France and Austria, have realised the danger with these herbicides.

“If countries in Europe are banning them, why should we continue using them at the expense of our health?” he posed at a recent stakeholders’ forum in Naivasha.

There is growing public support for a ban on glyphosates.

Agronomists have also raised the red flag over the use of risky weed killers that are used on various crops.

Studies indicate that farmers also apply glyphosate on crops such as oats and wheat.