Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe/ FILECabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe has called for global action to eliminate hazardous agricultural chemicals, saying substances deemed unsafe in some countries should not be allowed into markets with weaker regulations.
Kagwe said governments, regulators, manufacturers and international organisations should harmonise standards governing agricultural chemicals and prioritise the welfare of farmers.
Speaking during the opening of the 2026 World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) General Assembly in Nairobi, the CS said farmers in developing countries continue to face exposure to chemicals that have been restricted or banned elsewhere because of health and environmental concerns.
“The world cannot continue operating under a double standard when it comes to agricultural chemicals,” Kagwe said.
“If a pesticide is considered unsafe for use in one country because it poses unacceptable risks to human health or the environment, it should not find a market elsewhere simply because farmers are poorer or regulations are weaker.”
The CS said the lives and health of farmers in developing countries should be accorded the same value as those of farmers in developed economies.
“The life of an African farmer is not worth less than the life of a farmer in other parts of the world. The health of consumers in developing countries matters just as much as the health of consumers anywhere else in the world,” he said.
Kagwe said unsafe agricultural chemicals and counterfeit farm inputs continue to threaten food safety, public health, environmental sustainability and access to international markets.
He called for greater cooperation among governments, regulators, manufacturers, traders and farmers to address the illegal trafficking, counterfeiting and misuse of agricultural inputs.
“Unsafe chemicals entering our markets through informal channels undermine public confidence, threaten export markets and expose farming communities to unnecessary risks,” he said.
The CS said protecting farmers should extend beyond efforts to improve productivity and market access.
“Food safety begins at the farm. Consumer confidence begins at the farm. Public health begins at the farm. Therefore, protecting farmers must begin with protecting their health,” he said.
Kagwe also urged the international community to place farmers at the centre of agricultural policy discussions, saying debates on food security, climate adaptation, financing and productivity often overlook the welfare of farmers.
“The farmer has become the missing centre in discussions about agriculture. This Assembly must therefore be about more than food systems. It must be about the people who sustain those food systems,” he said.
He further pointed to inequalities within the global agricultural sector, noting that farmers in developed countries often benefit from extensive public support while smallholder farmers in developing countries compete with limited assistance.
Kagwe said investment in farmers should be viewed as an investment in economic growth, food security and national stability.
The CS also called for reforms in agricultural financing, urging financial institutions to develop products tailored to agricultural needs, including crop cycles, climate-related risks and long-term investments.
He highlighted Kenya’s efforts to modernise agriculture through technology and data-driven systems, including the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), which he said is helping improve service delivery, digital subsidies, traceability and planning.
Kagwe said technology should be used to support farmers and urged researchers to ensure innovations are translated into practical solutions that can be applied on farms.
The World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly has brought
together leaders of farmers’ organisations, policymakers, development partners
and agribusiness representatives from various countries to discuss issues
affecting the agricultural sector.
