Kenya seeks to boost farm productivity gains amid rising pesticide concerns

Speaking at the event, MI Sharma, Group Managing Director at Rainbow Agro Sciences. [Sofia Ali, Standard]

Agricultural stakeholders are being urged to urgently coordinate efforts to boost farm productivity and strengthen the safe use of pesticides, as Kenya faces mounting pressure to feed a rapidly growing population while managing environmental and food safety risks.

The call was made during the launch of a new weed control technology in Nairobi, where industry players, distributors, and agricultural experts highlighted the growing gap between food demand and production, as well as the challenges farmers face in accessing technology, knowledge, and compliant crop protection products.

Kenya has an estimated six million hectares of arable land, with maize occupying nearly 40 per cent of that area. Despite its central role in national food security, maize productivity remains vulnerable to weeds, pests, and climate stress.

At the same time, population growth of about 2.1 per cent annually continues to outpace agricultural production growth, estimated at 1.8 per cent.

Speaking at the event, Mi Sharma, Group Managing Director at Rainbow Agro Sciences, said improving productivity rather than expanding farmland would be key to addressing food security concerns.

“Agrochemicals are made for farmers, for farming, to improve productivity. That is the main contribution of our industry,” Sharma said. “In Kenya, food security is a big challenge. When the population is growing faster than agricultural production, new technology and innovation become very, very important.”

Sharma said Rainbow Agro Sciences operates across five Eastern African countries and is among the world’s largest agrochemical manufacturers. He noted that the company was engaging distributors across Kenya to improve access to quality inputs and technical knowledge, while introducing new weed control technologies aimed at reducing crop losses.

However, the use of pesticides remains a sensitive and contested issue in Kenya’s agricultural sector. Farmers rely heavily on chemical crop protection products to control weeds, pests, and diseases, but concerns persist over misuse, health risks, and compliance with export standards.

As a distributor working directly with farmers, Albert Kirii, Managing Director of Agrovex Limited, said access to products must go hand in hand with education.

“The main challenge farmers go through is not just availability of agrochemicals, but proper use,” Kirii said. “There is timing, correct identification of diseases and pests, and knowing which product to apply. Without that knowledge, productivity and safety are both affected.”

Kirii said distributors, together with manufacturers, have an ongoing responsibility to train farmers on correct application methods and safe handling of pesticides.

“We have continuous training programmes so farmers understand what to use and when to use it,” he said. “This improves yields, but it also improves the quality of farm produce.”

Questions around pesticide safety and export market compliance were also raised during the launch. Some Kenyan agricultural exports have previously faced scrutiny over chemical residues, leading to concerns about whether certain products should continue to be used.

In response, Kirii pointed to Kenya’s regulatory framework. “We have a regulatory body the Pest Control Products Board and the products used are registered and approved,” he said. “These molecules have minimum residue levels, and many disintegrate within a short period when used according to the law. That is why training and compliance are critical.”

Despite regulation, agricultural experts note that enforcement and farmer awareness remain uneven, particularly among small-scale farmers who may lack access to extension services. Improper pesticide use can expose farmers to health risks, contaminate soil and water, and lead to rejection of produce in local and international markets.

Stakeholders at the event stressed that productivity gains cannot rely solely on chemical inputs. They called for stronger collaboration between government agencies, private companies, distributors, and farmers to promote responsible pesticide use, improve access to information, and encourage innovation that balances yield growth with safety and sustainability.

“I want to challenge farmers, distributors, and stockists to continue supporting training initiatives,” Kirii said. “When farmers use the right products correctly, productivity improves, livelihoods improve, and the market responds positively.”

As Kenya grapples with rising food demand, limited arable land, and increasing scrutiny of pesticide use, experts say coordinated action will be essential to ensure that productivity gains do not come at the expense of health, environmental protection, or market access.