Kenya Hosts National Workshop to Promote Biopesticides in Locust Control and Livelihood Diversification
Key stakeholders from government, civil society, research institutions, and pastoralist communities held the National Biopesticide Workshop from 5–6 August 2025.
The event, convened under the (B)eat the Locust Project, aimed to advance Kenya’s policy, research, and commercialization efforts for biopesticides as a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides in combating desert locust invasions.
The workshop was organized by Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development (Cordaid Kenya ) in partnership with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) and Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation(IMPACT Kenya,) with funding from the Nationale Postcode Loterij.
About Cordaid
Cordaid works to end poverty and exclusion in fragile and conflict-affected areas. In Kenya and globally, cordaid partners with communities to build resilience, improve healthcare, education, and food systems, and support inclusive economic growth. It prioritize localization-empowering local civil society and promoting policy engagement. With over 20 years in Kenya, Cordaid collaborates with government and grassroots actors on sustainable agri-food systems, humanitarian aid, and peacebuilding.
About (B)eat the Locust Project
(B)eat the Locust Project is an innovative initiative funded by the Nationale Postcode Loterij. The project aims to diversify the livelihoods of pastoralist communities by focusing on the below two goals.
The (B)eat the Locust Project focuses on two major goals including:
- Promoting biopesticides for environmentally safe locust control
- Establishing an insect-based value chain to diversify livelihoods for pastoralist communities in Laikipia, Isiolo, Samburu, and Marsabit counties.
Discussions emphasized three strategic pathways:
- Policy Adoption – Integrating biopesticides into county and national level locust control strategies.
- Livelihood Diversification – Supporting pastoralists to benefit from insect farming and processing.
- Value Chain Development – Scaling insect-based products for human and animal consumption.
Standardization Requirements and Legal Implications for Insect Value Chains in Kenya
In Kenya, food laws are enforced by various government agencies that operate under the Ministries of:
- Public Health and Sanitation: coordinates food safety legal frameworks through the Depart-ment of Public Health (DPH) and the Kenya Food Safety Authority (KEFSA)
- Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Develop-ment: Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Weights and Measures Department (WMD)
- Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries: Kenya Agri-cultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)
- Environment and Forestry.
The Kenya Standards document of 2020 (KS 2922-1:2020) recognizes three classes of insect food:
- Insect product: processed from edible insectsinsects harvested either from domesticated farms or from the wild. the product may be presented in the form of whole insect, milled, paste, liquid/aqueous or in powder form.
- Whole insect product: insect product presented either whole or where some inedible parts of the insects such as wings,guy hair have been removed during or after drying.
- Powdered insect product: particularly of dried insects that is achieved by milling or grinding dry whole insect product
Speaking during the discussions on sustainable pest control,Cordaid Programme Officer and project lead, Joseph Mbatha, has raised concerns over a policy vacuum that continues to hinder the adoption of biopesticides in Kenya.
Mbatha noted that despite biopesticides being safer and more targeted, many farmers still rely on harmful chemical pesticides due to low awareness and inadequate regulatory frameworks.
He stressed that unlike chemical options, biopesticides do not harm bees or other beneficial organisms, making them a vital tool in promoting environmental health.
Drawing a comparison between the two approaches, Mbatha likened synthetic pesticides to lab-made drugs and biopesticides to herbal medicine natural, targeted, and with minimal side effects.
He emphasized that biopesticides are not only effective in pest management but also environmentally friendly, presenting a viable alternative for safeguarding biodiversity while ensuring food security. However, without strong policy support and increased farmer education, he warned that Kenya risks missing an opportunity to transition to safer and more sustainable agricultural practice
Making his remarks during the National Workshop on Promoting Biopesticide-Based Desert Locust Control, Cordaid’s Monitoring and Evaluation lead, Fredrick Owino, highlighted the project’s origins.
“This is one of those projects inspired by the 2019 desert locust invasion. We asked ourselves, how do we find alternative ways to manage locusts and build community resilience?”
Experts highlighted the safety, environmental benefits, and economic potential of biopesticides, which are derived from natural organisms and are safe for humans, animals, and the environment.
They also addressed challenges such as regulatory approval, commercialization barriers, and the need for stronger policy frameworks to encourage adopted
Participants called for accelerated research, streamlined registration processes, and increased public awareness to ensure biopesticides become Kenya’s preferred method for locust control.
Among some of the joint resolution from the workshop includes advocating for a national biopesticide policy and strengthen partnerships between government, researchers, and communities.
