Pesticide use in Kenya
Kenya: Pesticide use was 5,162 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Pesticide use in Kenya, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 5,162 tonnes for pesticide use in 2023.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pesticide use in Kenya peaked at 6,587 tonnes in 2019 and was at its lowest, 444 tonnes, in 1990.
Kenya ranks 60th of 211 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Pesticide use in Kenya, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 444 tonnes | — |
| 1991 | 998 tonnes | +124.8% |
| 1992 | 1,354 tonnes | +35.7% |
| 1993 | 1,432 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 3,628 tonnes | +153.4% |
| 1995 | 3,728 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 3,965 tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1997 | 1,801 tonnes | -54.6% |
| 1998 | 2,053 tonnes | +14.0% |
| 1999 | 2,124 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 1,979 tonnes | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 1,841 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 2002 | 1,665 tonnes | -9.6% |
| 2003 | 1,716 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 1,802 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 2,085 tonnes | +15.7% |
| 2006 | 2,193 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 1,919 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 2008 | 2,158 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 2009 | 2,182 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 2,758 tonnes | +26.4% |
| 2011 | 3,144 tonnes | +14.0% |
| 2012 | 3,971 tonnes | +26.3% |
| 2013 | 4,476 tonnes | +12.7% |
| 2014 | 4,661 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 4,764 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 4,773 tonnes | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 5,293 tonnes | +10.9% |
| 2018 | 6,074 tonnes | +14.8% |
| 2019 | 6,587 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 2020 | 6,228 tonnes | -5.5% |
| 2021 | 5,141 tonnes | -17.5% |
| 2022 | 5,110 tonnes | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 5,162 tonnes | +1.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 5,162 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,280 tonnes, 4.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 5,162 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 747 tonnes, 6.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pesticide use in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +153.4% | 1,432 tonnes | 3,628 tonnes |
| 1991 | +124.8% | 444 tonnes | 998 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,153 tonnes | 444 tonnes | 3,965 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,954 tonnes | 1,665 tonnes | 2,193 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,650 tonnes | 2,758 tonnes | 6,587 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,410 tonnes | 5,110 tonnes | 6,228 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pesticide use in Kenya?
- Pesticide use in Kenya was 5,162 tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest pesticide use recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 6,587 tonnes in 2019.
- What is the lowest pesticide use recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 444 tonnes in 1990.
- How does Kenya rank for pesticide use?
- Kenya ranks 60th out of 211 countries with data for 2023.
- Is pesticide use rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Pesticide use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total pesticide use measured in tonnes of pesticide consumption per year.