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By Christophe Uwizeyimana
Eight East African countries have adopted a common regulatory framework for biopesticides, a move expected to improve farmers’ access to safer crop-protection products, reduce barriers to agricultural innovation and strengthen sustainable farming across the region.
The framework covers Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Somalia. It establishes shared requirements for product testing, data submission and registration, potentially making it easier for approved biological crop-protection technologies to reach farmers across national borders.
The development was highlighted on 19 October 2026 by Dr. Daniel Kyalo Willy, Senior Manager for Resource Mobilization and Sustainability at the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), during the BIO-PACT Regional Workshop in Cotonou, Benin. The workshop was organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
According to AATF, the framework was developed in collaboration with the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat and partner states to address regulatory gaps that have slowed the approval and commercialization of biological agricultural products.
“Regulation is where good science meets the farmer. If the rules do not recognise a product, it will never reach the field, no matter how effective it is,” Dr. Kyalo Willy said.
Removing barriers to agricultural innovation
Biopesticides are crop-protection products derived from biological sources or natural processes. Depending on the product, they may use living organisms, plant extracts or chemical signals that influence pest behaviour.
They can provide additional options for managing crop pests and diseases while supporting more sustainable agricultural practices. However, their adoption has faced regulatory challenges in some countries.
AATF identified several obstacles, including legislation designed primarily for synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, overlapping responsibilities among regulatory agencies, inadequate laboratory facilities, shortages of trained personnel and testing requirements that do not adequately account for biological products.
The new regional framework seeks to address these challenges by establishing common requirements for product applications and testing. It also provides procedures for evaluating product effectiveness and enables data generated through appropriate testing to support registration in multiple participating countries.
This could reduce duplicated paperwork, lower barriers to market entry and help researchers and agricultural companies introduce suitable innovations to more farmers.
The framework also includes provisions for protecting confidential company data, establishing regional standards for approved testing centres and accelerating approval processes during emergencies, such as outbreaks of Fall Armyworm.
A practical example of biological crop protection
The potential benefits of appropriate regulation can be seen in Aflasafe, a biological control product used to reduce aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnuts.
Aflatoxins are toxic substances produced by certain fungi that can contaminate food and feed, posing risks to human and animal health.
According to AATF, Aflasafe can reduce aflatoxin contamination by 80–90 per cent under appropriate conditions. The product is registered in several African countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Burkina Faso.
In 2019, Kenya allocated KSh 400 million, equivalent to approximately 20 per cent of its fertilizer subsidy allocation, to purchase the product. AATF cites this experience as an example of how supportive regulations can enable governments to procure biological technologies and improve farmers’ access to agricultural innovations.
The experience illustrates that scientific research alone is not sufficient to bring new technologies to farmers. Appropriate regulations, functioning approval systems and government support can also play important roles in translating research into practical agricultural solutions.
What the framework means for farmers and businesses
For farmers, a more coordinated registration system could expand the range of legally approved and tested products available for crop protection. Access to appropriate products could help farmers manage pests, reduce crop losses and improve the quality of agricultural produce.
For researchers and agricultural businesses, common regulatory requirements could make it easier to move suitable products from research and development into commercial markets. Shared procedures may also reduce repetitive applications and provide greater clarity about the protection of confidential data.
Dr. Kyalo Willy noted that farmers, companies and researchers could all benefit from a more predictable regulatory environment.
However, the framework’s adoption does not automatically mean that all biopesticides are approved for use across the eight countries. Products must still meet applicable registration requirements, and the framework’s benefits will depend on how effectively participating countries implement the agreed provisions.
Implementation remains the next major challenge
Despite the progress, AATF says further work is required to translate the regional framework into practical benefits.
Each participating country must incorporate the shared rules into its national legal and regulatory systems and invest in the institutions responsible for implementation. This includes providing adequate funding, strengthening laboratory capacity and training regulators to assess biological products.
Without these investments, the framework risks remaining a set of guidelines with limited impact on agricultural production.
AATF’s experience in supporting biopesticide and biofertilizer regulation offers lessons for countries seeking to strengthen their systems. The organization began this work through COMPRO II, a Commercial Products project funded by the Gates Foundation and managed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Through the project, AATF led efforts to strengthen regulations for biopesticides and biofertilizers in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda.
Drawing on these experiences, AATF recommends identifying gaps in existing regulations, ensuring that regulatory authorities lead reforms, supporting guidelines with practical testing procedures and prioritizing implementation through national laws, adequate funding, laboratories and skilled personnel.
Countries can also establish distinct legal categories for biological agricultural inputs, build on regional frameworks developed by bodies such as the EAC, the Economic Community of West African States and the Southern African Development Community, and connect product registration with public procurement and agricultural advisory services.
A step towards sustainable agricultural transformation
The common framework represents an important step towards improving regulatory cooperation and facilitating the movement of agricultural innovations across East Africa.
Its long-term success, however, will depend on whether the participating countries can turn shared rules into effective national systems that protect farmers, safeguard public health and support responsible commercialization.
For East Africa, the priority is now to ensure that scientific advances in biological crop protection translate into practical, affordable and accessible options for farmers.
As the region faces persistent challenges related to crop pests, food safety, agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability, effective regulation could help bridge the gap between agricultural research and the technologies available to farmers.
Source: African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), press release issued on 22 October 2026.
About AATF: The African Agricultural Technology Foundation is an international not-for-profit organization established in 2003 to help smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa access agricultural innovations that improve productivity, food and nutrition security, and livelihoods. It works with governments, research institutions, private-sector organizations and development partners to support agricultural technology development, commercialization and adoption.
