Pesticides, Environment & Health

Date: November 5–6, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Venue: Maseno University, Kisumu Hotel

Across East Africa, concerns are growing over the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture and disease control. Many of these products, including some already banned elsewhere, pose serious risks to people and the environment. Communities are exposed directly through handling and indirectly through contaminated food, water, and ecosystems. Beyond the immediate health impacts, pesticides erode biodiversity, harm beneficial insects, degrade soils, poison water bodies, and disrupt aquatic life, threatening sustainable food systems and long-term environmental resilience.

The Regional Symposium on Pesticides, Environment, and Public Health in East Africa will bring together civil society representatives, scientists, and policymakers from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to exchange knowledge and experience. The event, hosted by Maseno University in collaboration with the University of Oslo, Norway, Greenpeace Africa, PELUM Kenya, and HBS Nairobi office, provides a platform to discuss pesticide use's environmental and health impacts, assess policy progress and gaps, and explore agroecological alternatives to harmful chemical practices.

The two-day programme will feature:

• Day 1 – Science and Policy (led by Greenpeace Africa, Route to Food Initiative, and Heinrich Böll Foundation): Presentations on research evidence, environmental impacts, and updates on pesticide regulation and politics in East Africa.
• Day 2 – Farmers and Alternatives (led by PELUM Kenya and Route to Food Initiative with partners): Farmer experiences, agroecological practices, and practical approaches to reducing pesticide dependency.

The symposium aims to foster regional dialogue and strengthen collaboration towards the phase-out of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs). Participants are invited to contribute through presentations, discussions, and shared experiences that support the transition to safer and more sustainable food systems.