Kenya develops national framework to monitor pesticide residues

By Milliam Murigi

Kenya has launched a national pesticide residue monitoring framework to improve food safety, protect consumers and safeguard the markets from produce that exceeds permitted limits.

The framework is a coordinated national system for monitoring pesticide residues in food and plant products. It will provide a structured mechanism for generating, collecting, analyzing, sharing and using pesticide residue data to strengthen food safety, protect public health, support regulatory compliance and enhance trade and market access

“This framework will give us a platform where even before you release data, you share with your colleagues, and if you are not sure, then the data is refined, so that when it goes to the public, it goes as correct information,” said Fredrick Muchiri, Chief Executive Officer, Pest Control Products Board (PCPB).

According to Muchiri, the framework will establish uniform protocols for pesticide residue monitoring across public and private institutions, enabling laboratories to generate standardized results that can inform regulatory decisions.

He explained that laboratories differ in staff expertise, equipment and analytical capacity, making coordination essential for an effective national monitoring system.

“The framework is expected to improve collaboration among institutions involved in monitoring pesticide residues, including the PCPB, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Ministry of Health, public health authorities and county governments,” he added.

The initiative comes amid concerns over notifications from international markets where Kenyan horticultural produce fails to meet pesticide residue requirements, threatening market access and the reputation of the country’s agricultural exports.

According to Christine Chesaro, Director of the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD), one of the key challenges facing Kenya’s agricultural sector is the frequent notifications the country keeps receiving when its produce fail to meet pesticide residue limits in export markets.

She said the framework will help identify potential food safety problems before consignments are shipped, enabling stakeholders to address violations early and protect markets already secured by Kenyan exporters.

“The system is expected to strengthen traceability by enabling investigators to link a sample to its source, including the production area and specific batch of produce, when a food safety problem is detected,” said Chesaro.

According to Daniel Karanja, Regional Director at Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) the framework is a result of extensive consultations among stakeholders who recognized that pesticide residue monitoring could not be effectively managed by a single institution.

Karanja said managing pesticide residues requires coordination across the entire food system, supported by reliable monitoring, information sharing and evidence-based policies.

“The development of this framework demonstrates what can be achieved when government agencies, research institutions, development partners, the private sector and farmers work together towards a common goal,” Karanja said.

Pesticides are widely used to control pests and diseases that threaten agricultural production. However, failure to follow recommended application rates, pre-harvest intervals and other good agricultural practices can result in residues exceeding established safety limits.

Such excesses can raise concerns about consumer health and threaten access to markets, particularly where buyers enforce strict food safety standards.

Grace Muchemi from PCPB revealed that institutions had previously conducted monitoring activities independently, limiting their ability to share findings, coordinate investigations and make informed decisions.

“The framework has come at the right time. Initially, we were working in silos, everybody doing their own small thing in their own way,” Muchemi said.

She said bringing the institutions together would help reduce duplication of laboratory tests, cut costs and enable agencies to share responsibilities when testing the same food commodities.

The shared data could also help inform national policies and support decisions on pesticide residue limits and the management of risks associated with particular chemicals.

Muchemi added that coordinated monitoring would enable institutions to adopt a risk-based approach, directing resources towards pesticides and food commodities that pose greater concerns rather than testing everything in the same way.

Peter Kamuti from Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) said the framework would also help formal retailers verify the safety of fresh produce supplied by farmers and other vendors before it reaches supermarket shelves.

The framework according to him, will give retailers an opportunity to test produce from their suppliers and establish whether pesticide residues fall within permitted thresholds

“Such measures could help strengthen consumer confidence in the formal retail sector by demonstrating that food safety checks are being undertaken,” said Kamuti.

Brenda Obura from Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI) said that routine monitoring would help authorities identify high-risk pesticides and the chemicals most likely to threaten Kenya’s access to export markets.

By detecting emerging risks early, regulators would be better placed to take action before residue violations result in rejected consignments or other market access challenges.

“We really need to keep exporting so that our farmers get maximum results, and also to ensure that Kenya has a good reputation out in the market,” Obura said.

She said the framework would provide a foundation for more systematic monitoring and help growers and other market players have greater confidence in the safety of their produce.

Dr. Samuel Were from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technologies said the involvement of academia should extend beyond laboratory testing to include generating credible scientific evidence, developing testing methods and technologies, building technical capacity and translating research findings into practical recommendations.

He said integrating research and monitoring data would strengthen the national system and support evidence-based decisions on pesticide residues.

Dr. Were added that the lessons from Kenya’s experience could inform similar initiatives in other African countries and India.

“Perhaps the most important message is that this framework is not just about monitoring pesticides. It is about building trust in food systems, strengthening collaboration across institutions, and creating a foundation for safer food and healthier communities,” he said.