Governors in central Kenya have angrily rebuffed a recent research findings by Egerton University researchers that indicate that farmers in the region use harmful pesticides in potato farming.

The leaders, led by Nyeri County Governor Mutahi Kahiga, the regional government executives termed the research findings titled, Influence of On-farm Pesticide Practices and Processing Methods on Pesticide Residue Levels in Potatoes Tubers in Nyandarua County, Kenya, as ‘unfounded rumours’ on Nyandurua’s cash crop.

“Let us stop spreading rumours about Mt Kenya and it is very unfortunate that issues of potatoes is splashed all over the newspapers. Even the people who are talking about it think potatoes grown in the sky,” Kahiga, speaking at the Nanyuki Agricultural Show, said.

Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha said potato farmers in his county are under threat as they are not consulted when the research was done.

He said, “After some time you claim you have a report, you are selling to the social media and mainstream media claiming that potatoes are poisoned, its wrong and farmers are here to be trained on good farming methods.’’

He said that it was demonising the work of hardworking farmers from the region, which they cannot allow.

“We are not going to entertain anyone who uses any platform to demonise the work that our farmers are doing since they are doing great work and they have no capacity to produce chemicals,” said the Nyandarua boss. “They only use chemicals that have been approved by the relevant government agencies.”

The governor highlighted that the county and national government are working in partnership aimed at ensuring the farmers produce quality and healthy food for the country. Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu urged other higher institutions of learning to verify the report aimed at instilling confidence in the potato farming sector.

“We are focusing on sustainable agriculture and when information gets out without a good research background, it is worrying. Laikipia is on the verge of producing potatoes on a large scale beyond Nyandarua,” said Irungu.

He called on Chuka, Embu and Laikipia universities to do their own study in order to verify the research findings.

The study findings indicated that 11.85 per cent of farmers heeded the recommended manufacturer’s application rate, while 74.63 per cent relied on advice from agro-chemical retailers and 13.32 per cent sought from their counterpart farmers.

The research has since elicited criticism from Nyandarua farmers. Potatoes are Kenya’s second most produced crop after maize and on average, 1.35 million tonnes of produced annually in the country.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Muturi Mwangi