Rethinking Pesticides: Safer Alternatives for Sustainable Agriculture

Context

Agro ecology has the potential to address many of the challenges facing modern food systems and contribute to their improvement in several ways including but not limited to enhancing environmental sustainability, increasing resilience to climate change, improving food security and livelihoods, enhancing social equity and contributing to health and nutrition of communities. Pesticides use in Agriculture has been a major concern to human health, environment, pollinators and to aquatic life. Rejection of Kenya horticultural exports especially to the EU have been on the rise in the recent years resulting to economic losses and bad reputation as a country. Numerous studies on pesticide residues on horticultural produce sold in the local markets have showed high levels of residues compared with what is acceptable in other jurisdictions especially in the EU Markets. There are alternatives to toxic pesticides which work providing solutions for agroecology.  The second Agro ecology conference, “Harnessing the Potential of Agroecology in Transforming and Sustaining Resilient Agri-Food Systems,” is scheduled to be held on the 25^th – 28^th in Nairobi Kenya 2025. The theme of the conference is: Strengthening Agri-Food System Transformation for Resilience, Sustainability and Socioeconomic Development.

In line with the theme of Conference, partners[1] propose to organize a side event during the conference to bring awareness on the extent of use and impact of toxic pesticide use and promote safer alternatives to conventional approaches of agricultural production and consumption.

Overall Goal: To promote holistic approaches in agricultural production and consumption as guided by the 13 principles of agroecology

Objectives for the parallel session

1. To create awareness on the current pesticides use on crops grown for domestic consumption and export including their impacts on human health, environment and economy.
2. To create awareness on the holistic and sustainable alternatives to pesticides use in production.
3. To create awareness on the different methods one can reduce pesticides residues exposure on vegetables.
4. To contribute to a call to action on reducing the HHPs use and exposure in EA.

How?

A one hour and half parallel session during the 2^nd Agro Ecology Conference which will comprise of the following:

1. 3 min Documentary and 7 min presentation summarizing pesticides use in East Africa KOAN
2. 15 Mins Case study for Kenya: Summary of the interceptions and culprit’s (crops and Active Ingredients) Double Standards – Pesticides banned in the country of origin but exported to Countries like Kenya but produce is rejected if found as residues in exported products – SwedWatch
3. 15 Mins Policy Brief on Agroforestry and Agroecology VI Agroforestry
4. 15 Minutes Summary of recent MRLs in domestic food; What to do at household level to minimize pesticides exposure….KOAN and UoN
5. 35 Mins Panel, Questions and Answer session –

Expert Panel Discussion – What needs to be done to reduce HHPs use and exposure in East Africa

Panelists

1. Farmer perspective- Sylvia Kuria
2. Pest Control Produce Board (PCPB) initiative to remove toxic pesticides from the market PCPB – Dr. Ngaruiya
3. Global business in pesticides and double standards SwedWatch Alice
4. Industry perspective (AAK/Croplife); FPEAK/FPC – TBC
5. Expert – Dr. Gitahi – University of Nairobi
6. Consumer perspective – Consumer Grassroots Association – CGA
7. Pesticides Atlas and what it means – HBS
8. Agro ecology and Agroforestry as alternatives – VI Agroforestry

The process will be as follows:

1. 15 Mins opening remarks from the panelists to share their perspectives.
2. 10 Mins Question and comments from participants
3. 10 Min responses and final remarks

Partners

1. KOAN
2. HBS
3. SSNC
4. Rodi Kenya
5. Pelum Kenya
6. BIBA Kenya
7. CEJAD
8. VI Agroforestry
9. ICRAF
10. SwedWatch

[1] KOAN; SSNC, HBS, VI Agroforestry  SwedWatch