SIANI’s East African Agrobiologicals Working Group is creating a knowledge hub about agrobiologicals in farming. So far, local stakeholders have met for workshops in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania to explore ways to increase the use of biobased fertilisers, stimulants and pesticides.
SIANI’s expert group on agrobiologicals sees a great potential in this type of products where for example compost and insects are used instead of chemicals. Agrobiologicals can increase productivity and profitability, without health risks for farmers and nature. But the products are not used to their full potential, according to the expert group, and it has set out to work with the stakeholders to try to address the root causes.
Led by Stockholm Environment Institute’s Africa Centre, the group brings together NGOs, academics, farmers, decision-makers, and the private sector in three East African countries. Many of the researchers have already worked together in the project AgriFoSe2030 where they studied perceptions of agrobiologicals (or biologicals) in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa. They also analysed hurdles that make it difficult for agrobiologicals to really catch on.
A key finding was that there are several intersecting challenges, including lack of knowledge, insufficient legislation and limited access to agrobiological inputs. It was also noteworthy that the situation varied greatly between the countries studied.
The SIANI exert group on agrobiologicals was established in 2024 to build on the research from AgriFoSe, involving many of the same researchers. The aim of the expert group is to establish an East African platform dedicated to increasing agrobiological knowledge, production and usage. At an inception workshop in January, the group planned regional activities but also identified relevant stakeholders in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.
Each of these three countries also have their own national processes, led by dedicated co-conveners, and they have all held workshops with local partners.
Ethiopia
The working group in Ethiopia is convened by Dr. Tewodros Mulugeta, from Kotebe University of Education. In June, the group organised a workshop bringing together the main stakeholders. The aim was to map out actors within the country’s agrobiologicals sector and allow them to share insights.
Dr. Mulugeta presented the case for increased use of agrobiologicals in Ethiopia, citing safety issues, market demand, and international pressure as key driving forces. But he noted that the use of agrobiologicals in Ethiopia is significantly lower compared to countries like Kenya:
“One of the primary challenges in Ethiopia is the absence of robust policies, regulations, and standards governing the production, distribution, retail, and usage of agrobiologicals.”
Dr. Mulugeta is the lead author of the paper Smallholder farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding agricultural inputs with a focus on agricultural biologicals, with research conducted among 150 smallholder farmers in the Chole district in Ethiopia. The farmers had a positive perception of agrobiologicals but did not necessarily see them as safer than chemicals.
The expert group builds on insights from this and other studies and experiences from the many stakeholders involved. The workshop in June brought together NGOs, farmers, researchers, businesses and representatives from Ethiopia’s environmental protection agency, agriculture agency, standardisation agency, Ministry of Agriculture and many others.
The participants shared their own plans for promoting agrobiological practices and discussed primary challenges. It became evident that many were working in isolation, unaware of the activities of others. The participants also identified important issues related to the lack of policies, regulations, and guidelines for the production, distribution, import, and research on agrobiologicals.
The working group will continue to collaborate and will host another workshop.
Kenya
The working group in Kenya is facilitated by Dr. Allan Mweke and Professor Cecilia Onyango, and they led a workshop in Nairobi in June 2024. The aim of the group is to bring together members of the country’s already relatively large agrobiologicals sector to explore why these products are not more widely used and what could encourage more local production. Manufacturers, retailers and researchers met with government agencies such as the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) under the Ministry of Agriculture.
Research done by Dr. Mweke and Professor Cecilia Onyango has indicated that farmers often lack training on how to use agrobiologicals. Similarly, the agro-dealers selling agrobiologicals tend to have little knowledge of the products and may therefore not be able to provide much information to farmers. The participants discussed how to increase access to training but also how products can be made easier to use.
Another challenge brought up was the fact that national regulations are not always suited for agrobiologicals. It can for example be cumbersome to register a biological alternative to a synthetic pesticide. The group saw a need for more co-creation around standards and products, involving also regulators and other stakeholders.
Overall, the participants saw a promising future for agrobiologicals in Kenya. There is a shift towards sustainable production practices and a growing demand for sustainably sourced agrobiologicals. The trend is likely to accelerate in response to challenges like new and emerging pests in the wake of climate change and signs that existing pesticides are becoming less effective. The workshop concluded that Kenya boasts a high level of technical capacity and sophistication that will help develop the agrobiologicals sector.
Tanzania
The Tanzanian working group met for a workshop in Arusha in October with 20 participants and nine media professionals, which resulted in coverage on local TV and follow-up interviews shared in local media. The working group is led by Mesia Ilomo, Lecturer on International trade and finance at the University of Dar es Salaam. He and Dr. Aneth David have both been part of the AgriFoSe project and shared insights from their research on the current situation for agrobiologicals in Sub-Saharan Africa generally and in Tanzania in particular.
Dr. Ramadhan Kilewa, from the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA), gave an overview of the Tanzania’s regulatory framework for pesticides, including agrobiologicals, and Abdon Hamaro, Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), gave a user and business perspective.
The participants worked in groups on hands-on tasks like mapping out the agrobiologicals value chain in Tanzania, identifying actors, roles, and links. They also analysed existing challenges when it comes to the use and production of agrobiologicals, and how to adapt current policies, regulations and support services. Lastly, the workshop studied local cases of agrobiological use, learning both from successful examples and less encouraging attempts.
Next steps
The three working groups will continue their activities at the national level, sharing information, and jointly addressing relevant issues. In the next phase, there will also be more regional collaboration to create a knowledge hub.