Agriculture is the Most Affected Sector in Counterfeiting in Kenya, Says Anti-Counterfeit Authority of Kenya

Kenya is facing a silent but dangerous threat in its agricultural sector – the infiltration of counterfeit agrochemicals into the market.

Much like the country’s ongoing war against fake pharmaceuticals, the rise in counterfeit pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides is threatening both food security and farmer livelihoods, especially as climate change and global supply chain pressures intensify.

In an op-ed, the CEO of the Kenya Anti-Counterfeit Authority, Dr. Robi Mbugua Njoroge, the problem is ‘deeply embedded in the food systems, affecting millions of farmers and consumers alike.’

“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.”

According to the Kenya Markets Trust (KMT), fake agrochemicals are flooding the market through informal channels. These counterfeits often come with fake labels, missing certifications, and false claims — leaving smallholder farmers with crop losses, degraded soils, and growing mistrust in formal agri-input suppliers.

“Many farmers don’t even realize they’ve been sold fakes until it’s too late. The damage to yields and soil health is devastating,” said Andrew Ahiami, Program Director at KMT.

An Unregulated Maze

The agrochemical sector in Kenya is currently poorly regulated, particularly at the last-mile distribution level. Farmers rely heavily on agro-dealers who, in some cases, are themselves unable to verify the authenticity of the products they stock.

As a result, fake products easily blend into the supply chain – often indistinguishable from genuine ones. This undermines both consumer confidence and the long-term viability of Kenya’s agricultural growth.

The national cost of counterfeit trade is staggering. Kenya is estimated to lose KES 153 billion (~$1.9 billion) annually to counterfeit goods across all sectors, with agriculture among the hardest hit.

According to Njoroge, another challenge with fighting counterfeiting is a lack of reporting:

“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.”

Could Blockchain Help Fix the Problem?

In the absence of strong traceability and enforcement, experts are now exploring how blockchain technology could help build trust and accountability in Kenya’s agri-input market.

Here’s how blockchain could play a transformative role:

• ✅ Digital Product Verification: Every agrochemical product could be tagged with a scannable QR code linked to a blockchain-based record. This would allow farmers to instantly verify product authenticity using a mobile phone.
• ✅ End-to-End Traceability: From the manufacturer to the retailer, blockchain enables tamper-proof tracking across the entire supply chain, making it harder for counterfeits to enter the market.
• ✅ Regulatory Oversight: With real-time, decentralized data, regulators could more effectively monitor product flow, identify bad actors, and respond faster to reports of fakes.
• ✅ Farmer Trust & Confidence: Most importantly, verified digital trails would restore farmer trust – encouraging adoption of safe, effective inputs and increasing agricultural output.

Countries like India and Nigeria have already piloted blockchain-powered traceability systems in their agri-input and pharmaceutical sectors – with promising early results.

With Kenya’s growing digital infrastructure and vibrant agritech ecosystem, piloting a blockchain-based agrochemical registry is not only feasible – it’s increasingly necessary.

According to Dr. Njoroge:

“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.”

Policymakers, regulators, and private sector players are being urged to collaborate on building trusted digital supply chains that protect farmers and consumers alike.

“To make meaningful progress, we need collective effort.

Manufacturers must improve product traceability and secure their packaging. Agrodealers must stock responsibly and educate their customers. Community leaders can help raise awareness, while the media can shine a light on farmers’ experiences.

Most importantly, consumers, especially farmers, must speak up and report suspicious goods.”

Kenya’s agricultural sector cannot thrive if fake agrochemicals continue to undermine productivity, trust, and soil health. A combination of regulatory reform, public education, and emerging technologies like blockchain could offer a path forward – one that puts power back into the hands of farmers and protects the country’s food systems from the ground up.

Stay tuned to BitKE for deeper insights into the evolving Kenyan regulatory space.

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