Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has issued a raft of measures to safeguard the benefits of Kenya’s macadamia sector.

According to the Macadamia Association of Kenya (MACNUT) Chair Jane Maigua, harmful pesticides and aggressive pest attacks are destroying up to 40 per cent of the national macadamia production, an economic blow valued at Ksh2.88 billion ($21.6 million) every year.

Flanked by Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya (PPCK) Acting CEO Njoroge Wachira and the CEO of Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) Fredrick Muchiri, Maigua complained to the cabinet secretary that farmers are suffering unprecedented crop losses as destructive pests, now more widespread due to climate change, attack flowering nuts, bore into kernels causing severe leaf damage, and trigger widespread premature nut drop.

During the high-level meeting, Kagwe directed AFA, KEPHIS, PCPB and county governments to intensify farmer sensitization through radio programs and field extension services.

The cabinet secretary also advocated for promote integrated pest management practices, reduce reliance on imported synthetic pesticides and adopt safer, residue-compliant solutions that protect Kenya’s premium export markets.

“There is a need to rebuild the country’s pyrethrum value chain so that local farmers and processors such as PPCK can offer reliable, affordable pest control alternatives that protect both yields and market standards,” he reiterated.

He further issued strict instructions on protecting the intellectual property of the PPCK, noting that any private company using their scientific formulation data must pay for access or have their letters of access withdrawn immediately.

Kagwe emphasised that PPCK’s scientific data is a valuable national asset and a potential revenue stream that must be safeguarded as the country strengthens its domestic pesticide solutions.

MACNUT Chair Maigua said Kenya produces 45,000 metric tonnes of macadamia annually, with 44,100 tonnes being marketable, yet 17,640 tonnes is lost to insect damage, including 2,222.64 metric tonnes of high-value exportable kernels, translating into billions in lost revenue.

She noted that the industry also spends heavily on electricity and labour at processing facilities as workers sort out insect-bitten nuts, further compounding the economic burden.

According to KEPHIS, stink bugs are the most destructive threat, followed by nut borers, lace bugs, moths, rats and thrips, which confirms that climate change has intensified these attacks. It has made existing chemical pesticides both ineffective and risky due to the danger of surpassing international residue limits.

PCPB CEO Fredrick Muchiri outlined a legal emergency provision that allows the swift authorisation of organic and pyrethrum-based pest control products.

He confirmed that once PPCK and KEPHIS identify the specific pest pressure, the board can immediately approve emergency-use options, conduct local efficacy trials, determine scientific application rates, and work with county teams to sensitise farmers on proper use to avoid export-threatening residue violations.

Muchiri assured the CS that pyrethrum-based products would be fast-tracked as long as they meet efficacy and safety requirements, underscoring the importance of shifting away from over-dependence on imported chemical pesticides, now exceeding 20 million kilogrammes annually.

This discussion comes after, three days ago on Tuesday, the cabinet secretary met with the senate to deliberate the leasing of the Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya (PPCK). The cabinet secretary revealed that the PPCK’s current financial performance was unsustainable, as the organisation is generating only Ksh35 million annually, its highest being Ksh60 million.

“The agency not only lacks adequate resources to run its operations but has also received no allocation for research, a critical component for reviving the pyrethrum value chain. There is simply not enough money to sustain the organization itself,” Kagwe told senators.

Kagwe had further disclosed that farmers are owed Ksh10 million for deliveries made in August, September and October, funds that the government has committed to settle immediately.

However, he pointed out that PPCK’s main obstacle is a staggering debt portfolio of Ksh3.5 billion, owed to suppliers and in staff pension arrears.

With the leasing model now on the table, Kagwe explained that the government, however, must first clean up PPCK’s balance sheet, undertake a fresh valuation of its assets, and ensure due diligence before a private operator can take over.

He observed that the Cabinet’s approval will unlock a long-term, sustainable structure that mirrors successful models in competitive private industries.

During his broader submission to the senate, Kagwe detailed the ministry’s ongoing interventions across the pyrethrum value chain, including distribution of clean planting materials, expansion of extension services, and alignment of production standards with international regulatory requirements to secure export markets.

• A Tell Media / KNA report Wangari Ndirangu