AGENDA has concluded a two-day regional workshop in Dar es Salaam that marked the launch of a three-year project aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating the use of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) in East African agriculture.
The workshop, held from May 22 to 23, brought together stakeholders from Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia under AGENDA Tanzania, PAN Ethiopia and CEJAD Kenya, with support from Pesticide Action Network International and Rainforest Alliance.
The initiative is funded by the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC) Fund under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The project targets cotton and vegetable farmers, who are among the highest users of hazardous pesticides, and promotes agroecology as a safer and more sustainable farming approach.
Closing the workshop, AGENDA Senior Programme Officer Silvani Mng’anya said participants agreed on four key resolutions that will guide implementation across the three countries.
He said the resolutions focus on strengthening agroecology practices among smallholder farmers, increasing awareness on the risks of highly hazardous pesticides, establishing and reinforcing national and regional technical advisory coordination mechanisms, and accelerating access to safer alternatives for pest and disease control.
“The project is designed to support farmers in transitioning to safer and more sustainable production systems while protecting human health and the environment,” Mng’anya said.
A representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, Community Development Officer Heremia Herman, said the initiative comes at a critical time when there is growing need to promote safe food production practices and reduce dependence on harmful chemicals.
Rainforest Alliance Programme Officer for Kenya, Fredrick Otieno, said pesticide pollution is not limited to individual countries but remains a global challenge requiring coordinated action across agriculture, health, environment, research institutions and the media.
The project is expected to reach more than 3,000 smallholder farmers in East Africa, equipping them with training on agroecology practices, integrated pest management and safer production methods.
Experts warn that highly hazardous pesticides contribute to environmental degradation, water and soil contamination, loss of biodiversity and increasing health risks in farming communities.
The initiative also aligns with global frameworks, including the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and resolutions of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), aimed at strengthening chemical safety and environmental protection.
AGENDA is implementing the project in partnership with PAN Ethiopia, CEJAD Kenya, PAN International and the Rainforest Alliance, with technical and financial support from the GFC Fund under UNEP.
