Food Rights

Pesticides do not simply disappear once they are banned or withdrawn; many persist in the environment for years, accumulating in soil, water, air, and living organisms. These persistent chemicals, including organochlorines and other synthetic compounds, move through food chains via bioaccumulation and biomagnification, posing long-term risks to human health, wildlife, and ecosystems. Evidence from studies in Kenya and across Africa shows that even years after exposure, pesticide residues remain in people, animals, and the environment, highlighting the urgent need for remediation, monitoring, and sustainable pest management practices

This was one of the alarming insights shared during an interview with experts behind the launch of the Soil Atlas of Kenya, later featured in the Seeds of Gold section of the Nation Media Group. The discussion with Harun Warui examined the country's urgent soil health issues, their implications for food security, and the solutions needed to restore degraded lands.

The Heinrich Boell Foundation (hbf) today unveiled the Soil Atlas – Kenya Edition, a publication that presents critical facts and figures about soil, a vital resource that impacts food and nutritional security.

The overuse of artificial fertilisers harms soils, nitrogen fertilisers contribute to climate change and pesticides kill beneficial organisms. Despite this, companies profit from these products and influence governments, blocking essential environmental policies.

The future of agriculture is at stake as soil health continues to degrade. Practices like monoculture, plowing, and overuse of chemical inputs have depleted soil nutrients and structure, prompting farmers to explore alternative soil management strategies. While upscaling these solutions shows promise, policy, and financial support remain insufficient.

Soils are vital to our survival. They store greenhouse gases and water and are home to at least a quarter of all living creatures on earth.  In Kenya over 40% of soils are affected by land degradation, high proportions are acidic and saline.

Soil to plate: Kenya's mandatory fortification policy aims to tackle hidden hunger, but true nutritional security lies in restoring soil health and embracing diverse diets for lasting solutions.

Kenya's worsening soil degradation poses a serious threat to its agricultural future. Redefining soil health through policies that support site-specific solutions is essential for meaningful change in soil management.

Kenya's diverse soils face interconnected challenges that require tailored solutions for sustainable productivity. Simply increasing the use of synthetic fertilisers is not enough.

  Soil degradation poses a global crisis as it jeopardises food security, livelihoods, and ecosystem health. The situation is worse in East Africa, where over 40 percent of soils are degraded, threatening the region’s agricultural foundation and resilience.