Increased Inspections Fail to Stop Illegal Pesticides Market Penetration in Kenya
Illegal, expired, counterfeit and unregistered pesticides continue to find their way into Kenya’s market despite increased inspections and seizures by the Pest Control Products Board, a performance audit by the Office of the Auditor-General has found.
The audit shows that the number of premises inspected by the Board increased from 6,322 in the 2021/2022 financial year to 11,150 in 2024/2025, representing a 76 per cent rise.
Over the same period, the quantity of non-compliant pesticide products seized rose from 902 kilogrammes to 28,617 kilogrammes.
The increase in seizures came as enforcement operations intensified, but the audit found gaps in follow-up action that have allowed repeat offences to continue.
“Despite the Board impounding the products and securing convictions, the Board did not revoke the premises’ certificates, thereby sustaining the risk of repeat offences and the continued sale of illegal products,” the Auditor-General states.
Follow-up inspections remain a challenge
The audit found that inspections conducted after an initial violation were not being carried out consistently.
Follow-up visits are intended to establish whether agro-dealers have addressed violations within the required 60-day period. However, only 49 per cent of 55 sampled agro-dealer premises received follow-up inspections during the 2024/2025 financial year.
In 11 cases, the follow-up visit was conducted more than 90 days after the initial inspection.
The audit further found that the Board’s annual work plans did not have a structured provision for follow-up inspections.
This has left gaps in monitoring premises that have previously been found to be non-compliant, making it difficult to establish whether corrective measures have been implemented.
The report also found that the Board did not have a complete and current database showing all premises dealing in pesticides and their compliance status.
Border checks leave gaps
The audit identified another weakness at Kenya’s entry points, where pesticide consignments are supposed to be checked to prevent illegal products from entering the country.
Technical officers from the Pest Control Products Board were deployed to only 13 of the 30 operational and gazetted border points.
The remaining 17 border points did not have physical inspections of pesticide consignments by Board officers, according to the audit.
The gap increases the challenge of monitoring pesticide imports and identifying products that do not meet regulatory requirements before they enter the domestic market.
The Auditor-General said the weaknesses have limited the effectiveness of enforcement efforts despite the increase in inspections and seizures.
Auditor-General calls for stronger enforcement
The audit concluded that the Board “has not adequately monitored and enforced compliance with regulations on supply and use of pesticides to reduce unsafe practices.”
The report recommends that the Board establish a structured framework for follow-up inspections and include the activity in its annual work plans.
It also calls for the progressive deployment of technical officers to all border points to strengthen checks on pesticide consignments.
The Auditor-General further recommends formalising coordination between the Pest Control Products Board and the Anti-Counterfeit Authority to improve the removal of illegal pesticide products from the market.
The findings come as the Board continues to increase inspections of pesticide dealers and seize products that do not meet regulatory requirements.
The audit says stronger follow-up, wider border monitoring and improved coordination will be necessary to ensure enforcement action results in sustained compliance across the pesticide supply chain.