Endocrine Disruptors
While abnormal soil acidity significantly reduces land productivity and leads to major losses and wastage, endocrine disruptors are known to interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife. Endocrine disruptors may be found in many everyday products– including plastic bottles, metal cans and pesticides. Research shows that endocrine disruptors may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development when organ and neural systems are forming.
It is scientifically proven that endocrine disruption leads to growth of cancerous cells. This is a major cause for worry among our members given the high instances of new cancer cases and the rising number of Kenyans succumbing to the terminal disease every day.
In our finding, central to the continued production of unsafe food is the misuse of pesticides and application pesticides containing endocrine disruptors; as well as farmers’ ignorance about optimal soil acidity levels. In addition, many Kenyan farmers have been unable to access overseas markets owing to “high chemical residues” that independent testing variously attributes to excessive use of pesticides and pesticides containing endocrine disruptors, leading to massive erosion of capital and jobs.
Green Earth Trust is tackling this issue from a policy standpoint through high-level engagements with the relevant government agencies, pushing for progressive remedial actions.