In the hands of a Kenyan farmer, every seed represents hope. Hope for a bountiful harvest, for school fees, for meals on the table, and dignity earned through honest work.
But that hope is being silently eroded by counterfeit agrochemicals that promise growth but deliver ruin.
The Anti-Counterfeit Authority’s 2025 national surveys have now confirmed a growing crisis. Agriculture is the most affected sector when it comes to counterfeiting in Kenya.
According to our consumer-level survey, an overwhelming 89.16% of respondents identified agricultural inputs—especially pesticides and herbicides—as the most frequently counterfeited products they encounter. That figure is not just a statistic—it’s a warning.
It reveals a threat deeply embedded in our food systems, affecting millions of farmers and consumers alike.
In the rural markets of Bungoma, Meru, Machakos, and Makueni, farmers often unknowingly buy fake inputs packaged to look like trusted brands. These products, sold cheaply through unregulated channels, often contain no active ingredients or harmful compounds that damage crops and soil. What follows is not just crop failure—it’s financial loss, food insecurity, and frustration that leads many farmers to give up.
The firm-level survey echoed these concerns. Agrochemical companies and licensed distributors reported mounting challenges posed by fake products infiltrating their supply chains and retail networks.
They flagged significant losses—not only in profits but in trust. Farmers lose confidence in genuine products when counterfeits fail. Retailers lose credibility. The entire value chain suffers. And when that happens, it is not just private businesses at risk—it is national food security.
Yet perhaps the most troubling insight from the ACA survey is this: awareness is high, but reporting remains low. Over 83.85% of Kenyans surveyed acknowledged that they are aware of counterfeit products.
Most can even identify the sectors where they’re most common. But when it comes to taking action, too many stay silent. The survey revealed that 36.08% of consumers who encounter counterfeit goods don’t report them because they believe nothing will be done.
Another 26.86% simply don’t know where or how to report. This gap between knowledge and response is allowing counterfeiters to thrive, especially in areas where enforcement is limited and informal trade dominates.
The distribution of counterfeit agrochemicals mirrors the problem. A majority—60.48%—are sold through informal traders, kiosks, and street vendors. These are everyday points of purchase for many farmers, especially in remote regions.
Without strong regulation, these networks act as pipelines for fake goods, seamlessly mixing them into the legitimate supply chain. By the time the damage is done, it’s often too late for farmers to recover.
The national cost of counterfeit trade is enormous. Kenya is estimated to lose Ksh 153 billion annually to counterfeit goods across sectors. Agriculture is among the most severely impacted.
But the losses extend beyond the economy. They touch the life of the farmer whose crops fail despite best efforts, the child whose school fees go unpaid after a bad season, and the family that goes hungry because fake products failed them.
This is not a fight ACA can win alone. We are working with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the Kenya Revenue Authority, and law enforcement to intensify market inspections, seize illegal products, and prosecute offenders. But we know enforcement is only part of the solution.
That is why we are rolling out public awareness campaigns, partnering with farmer cooperatives, and investing in mobile-based product authentication technologies that allow farmers to verify products before purchase.
Still, to truly turn the tide, we need all hands on deck. Manufacturers must secure their packaging and track their supply chains. Agrodealers must stock responsibly and educate their customers. Community leaders must help spread awareness. The media must highlight farmers experiences. And consumers—especially farmers—must speak out and report suspicious goods.
Agriculture is the heartbeat of Kenya. It feeds our nation, fuels our economy, and sustains our rural communities. To safeguard it, we must root out the menace of counterfeit agrochemicals with urgency, innovation, and shared responsibility.
Let us not wait for another planting season to pass before we act. The data is clear. The stories are real. And the time for action is now.
Dr Mbugua is the Executive Director of Anti-Counterfeit Authority
