This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
Published on October 14, 2019, data from the Pesticides Control Products Board (PCPB) shows that the number of pesticide permits issued in Kenya has risen by 92% in the last three years.
This increase comes amid mounting concerns over the potential impact of pesticides on human and environmental health. A recent report revealed that 32% of registered pesticides in Kenya have been withdrawn from the European market due to their toxicity and lack of data.
According to PCPB data, the number of permits issued as of 2018 stood at 515, up from 268 in 2015. The data also shows that applications for permits for entry of pesticide products in the country rose by 63% during the period under review.
PCPB governs the registration of pesticides and processes and issues permits for their import and export. The board grants experimental permits for local biological efficacy trials or other bridging trials after receiving information from companies on products they want to introduce into the Kenyan market.
Currently, 54 institutions are accredited by PCPB to carry out various trials. The board reports that there are 1,747 products currently registered in the country, with pesticides for crops topping the list at 1,452.
For the last 10 years, imported volumes of pesticides have ranged between 9,300 to 16,300 tonnes annually, with an estimated value of between Sh9.3-12.7 billion annually.
