KAMPALA, July 16, 2026 — The Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum [ESAFF] Uganda has called on the Government of Uganda, the East African Community [EAC] and the European Union [EU] to accelerate the phase-out of Highly Hazardous Pesticides [HHPs], warning that their continued use poses serious risks to public health, food security and the environment.
The farmers’ organisation says more than half of the 41 highly hazardous pesticides registered for use in Uganda are already banned in the EU yet they continue to be imported and used by Ugandan farmers.
The appeal follows growing concern over what ESAFF describes as a double standard, where chemicals prohibited in Europe for health and environmental reasons are still exported to African countries.
A recent report by Swedish watchdog Swedwatch, Poison for Profit, highlights the human and environmental costs associated with the pesticides, including poisoning of farmers, contamination of water sources and soils, and rejection of agricultural exports due to excessive pesticide residues.
According to ESAFF Uganda, scientific studies have also detected highly hazardous pesticide residues in human biological samples, including urine, blood, breast milk and sweat, while children are said to face greater exposure because they absorb higher doses relative to their body weight.
“Uganda, like many African countries, is part of the EU-AU Partnership, yet a significant share of banned and highly hazardous agrochemicals used on Ugandan farms originates from Europe,” said ESAFF Uganda National Chairperson Hakim Baliraine.
The organisation said it had, in January 2025, joined nine other civil society organisations in calling on the government to take immediate action to restrict the use of highly hazardous pesticides.
ESAFF also urged the East African Community to adopt a harmonised regulatory framework on pesticide management, arguing that isolated national bans would be ineffective because shared ecosystems and cross-border food trade expose neighbouring countries to the same risks.
“Government, being a signatory to the Bamako Convention, must look at the highly hazardous molecules in this country, and they must be banned. Molecules banned elsewhere must also be banned across Africa,” said Benard Bwambale, Coordinator of the Food Safety Coalition of Uganda.
The farmers’ movement is advocating agroecology as a sustainable alternative to synthetic pesticides, saying farmers participating in its 37 Community Agroecology Schools have successfully adopted botanical pesticides made from neem, chilli and garlic, organic fertilisers produced from locally available materials, composting, intercropping and the use of fermented organic inputs.
ESAFF says these practices have helped farmers reduce pest attacks, improve soil fertility, lower production costs and produce safer food for both domestic consumption and export.
“In this community, members are no longer worried about pest and disease attacks. The knowledge we got enabled us to produce and use organic pesticides in our gardens. People are admiring what we are doing, and they end up joining the school,” said Justine Arinaitwe, a Community Agroecology School facilitator in Kasese district.
The organisation said it has spent more than a decade promoting agroecology through farmer-led training centres, school agroecology clubs, media training programmes, national awareness campaigns and community research initiatives in several districts.
ESAFF Uganda is calling on the European Union to prohibit exports of pesticides banned within its own borders, while urging Uganda to apply the precautionary principle in pesticide registration and progressively phase out internationally recognised highly hazardous pesticides.
The organisation also wants governments across East Africa to invest more in agroecological farming systems, strengthen extension services, support locally produced organic crop protection products and fast-track Uganda’s National Agroecology Strategy.
It argues that reducing dependence on hazardous pesticides would not only improve public health and protect the environment but also safeguard Uganda’s agricultural exports, noting that the country reportedly lost more than US$ 60 million in one year due to export rejections linked to pesticide residue violations.
ESAFF maintains that the transition away from hazardous pesticides should place smallholder farmers at the centre, arguing that investment in agroecology offers a practical pathway towards safer food production, improved rural livelihoods and long-term agricultural sustainability.
https://thecooperator.news/esaff-to-implement-climate-adaptation-initiative-in-adjumani-district/
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
-
-
-
-
