Lobby group sensitises smallholder growers on harmful agro-chemicals

Kirinyaga farmers sorting tomatoes for sale at an aggregation point./ALICE WAITHERA

A lobby group has started a nationwide campaign against the use of harmful agro-chemicals that have been blamed for rising morbidity and reduced harvests in the country.

 The African Centre for Corrective and Preventive Action, which focuses on public health advocacy, has also called for tighter controls to protect unsuspecting Kenyans from getting exposed to the harmful chemicals that compromise their health.

 Executive director James Mwangi told the Star that many Kenyans have been consuming agricultural products with the assumption they are healthy and end up getting sick.

 Even worse, he said, the heightened use of harmful chemicals exposes children to diseases during their developmental stages, affecting their growth.

 The organisation is set to launch the nationwide campaign on September 9 in Nyandarua county, and plans to go round the country promoting the use of safe bio-inputs and creating awareness on the harmful chemicals.

 “Many farmers use these chemicals without knowing they are directly putting their lives and the lives of many other Kenyans at risk. The campaign will go to the grassroots speaking to farmers to help them engage in safer farming practices,” he added.

 Mwangi said agro-ecology that is being embraced by some counties such as Murang’a, has been proven to result in higher harvests and sweeter produce as compared to conventional farming.

 He noted that many consumers, especially those living in urban areas, have become conscious of the effect of agri-chemicals on their health and have started seeking organically grown foods.

 “But the challenge remains that there’s little way of distinguishing between organic and non-organic food in the market. This is why we are targeting the small scale farmer who produces over 75 per cent of the foods consumed in the country,” Mwangi added.

 He said sensitising farmers in the villages on the need to produce healthy foods will result in healthier foods being sold in the market and reduce the number of patients visiting hospitals for treatment.

 He cited the Mt Kenya region that has been recording a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases that include cancer, that leave families destitute due to high medical bills.

 In July this year, governors from the region raised concerns over the rising cases of cancer with reports indicating that 2,127 out of 100,000 people had the condition in Nyeri county in 2022 while Murang’a had 2,123, Kirinyaga 2,033 and Embu 1,906.

 Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga who is also the chairperson of the Central Region Economic Bloc, cited failure to diagnose the cases early as one of the main hindrances of proper treatment of cancer in the region.

 A study conducted by Egerton University earlier this year revealed that over 98 per cent of potato farmers in Nyandarua county used synthetic fertilisers and that only about 12 per cent followed manufacturers’ instructions.

 Further, harmful levels of chlorpyrifos and fenitrothion, insecticides that have been phased out, were found in potato tubers even after frying, roasting or baking them, despite their association with neuro-developmental and hormonal issues.

 “Fenitrothion is linked to severe toxicity that affects lungs, kidneys, liver and even the brain. The farmers using them however don’t know this because they also consume them,” Mwangi said.

 He underscored the need for more sensitisation targeting farmers saying it’s only through such trainings that the government can reduce the health burden.

 In 2021, the organisation introduced a bill in Parliament seeking to raise the smoking age from 18 to 21 years to protect young Kenyans from the health and behavioural risks associated with tobacco use, arguing that delaying the exposure reduces long term health consequences.