Nairobi, Sept. 2 -- Kenya's pesticide use has reached a record high, highlighting the country's growing dependence on chemical crop protection even as health and environmental risks rise.

Data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) shows pesticide use in Kenya increased to 6,953 tonnes in 2024, up from 444 tonnes in 1990.

This places Kenya ninth in Africa for pesticide use and second in the region, behind Uganda's 11,293 tonnes.

Fungicides and bactericides accounted for the largest share at 3,133 tonnes, followed by herbicides at 2,476 tonnes and insecticides at 1,335 tonnes. Rodenticides made up only nine tonnes.

The figures underscore the central role pesticides play in protecting crops from pests, weeds and diseases. For ...