CS Kagwe urges global action on hazardous agrochemicals linked to health and environmental risks
Kenya has called for urgent global action to eliminate hazardous agricultural chemicals linked to serious health and environmental risks, warning against what it describes as a persistent double standard that exposes farmers in developing countries to products banned elsewhere.
According to a message posted on the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development’s X platform, Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe made the appeal during the opening of the 2026 World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) General Assembly in Nairobi.
Kagwe told delegates drawn from farmers’ organisations, agribusiness leaders, policymakers and development partners that global rules governing agricultural chemicals must be urgently harmonised to ensure equal protection for farmers across all countries.
“The world cannot continue operating under a double standard when it comes to agricultural chemicals,” Kagwe said. “Products deemed unsafe in one country should not be sold in another simply because regulations are weaker.”
He stressed that farmers in developing countries deserve the same level of protection as those in developed economies, calling for stronger international safeguards to prevent exposure to harmful substances.
Kagwe warned that unsafe agrochemicals, counterfeit farm inputs and the illegal trafficking of agricultural products continue to undermine food safety, public health, environmental sustainability and access to international export markets.
He further called for stronger collaboration between governments, regulators, manufacturers and international organisations to combat the counterfeiting, misuse and illegal trade of agricultural inputs.
“Protecting farmers must go beyond increasing productivity and market access. It must also include safeguarding their health and wellbeing,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary urged the global community to place farmers at the centre of agricultural policy formulation, arguing that their welfare, dignity and prosperity have historically been under-prioritised despite their central role in global food systems.
Kagwe also challenged long-standing inequalities in global agriculture, calling for increased investment in farmers as a strategic driver of economic growth, food security and national stability.
He highlighted Kenya’s ongoing efforts to modernise agriculture through digital transformation and data-driven systems, including the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), aimed at improving planning, service delivery and efficiency in the sector.
As deliberations continue at the World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly, Kagwe urged participants to ensure that all outcomes from the conference remain anchored on farmer welfare.
“Every policy, investment and recommendation emerging from this conference should be guided by one principle: putting farmers first,” he said.
The assembly has brought together global stakeholders to discuss pressing challenges affecting agriculture, food systems and the future of farming, with a focus on building more inclusive and sustainable agricultural practices worldwide.