Kenyan farmers petition Parliament to review EU policy

By Christine Muchira

A section of agriculture lobbyists want the national  parliament to assess the impact of pesticides banned in the EU on Kenya’s agricultural production before extending the same in Kenya.

Fresh produce consortium CEO Ojepat oki Segere says ban on some pesticides will be detrimental to the country’s food safety.

Last year, a petition filed by Uasin Gishu woman representative Gladys Shollei  asked Parliament to order the withdrawal of harmful chemical pesticides in the Kenyan market banned in Europe, the United Kingdom and the US.   

This was followed by a report by the health committee recommending that the Pest Control Products Board  ensure that products banned in other jurisdictions are not in use in Kenya.

On Monday, a section of agriculture lobbyists, led Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya, the National Potato Council of Kenya, and the Cereal Growers Association, have opposed the report and now want the national  parliament to access the impact of pesticides banned in the EU on Kenya’s agricultural production before extending the same in Kenya.

Ojepat Okisegere, CEO of the Fresh Produce Consortium says new proposals are catastrophic and did not incorporate the input of the agricultural committee or any agricultural policy makers.

He says the health committee the proposal to ban the majority of the country’s crop protection products will lead to a near-immediate maize crisis, close the country’s coffee estates, cut tomato production by 80 per cent, and savage the production of potatoes, wheat, rice, onions and most other crops.

The farmers and growers are seeking a review of the committee recommendations and their impact.