Religious Leaders Urged to Reflect on the Sixth Commandment and Speak Against Harmful Agrochemicals

As the world marks World Food Day, Religious leaders have been urged to reflect deeply on the Sixth Commandment of God “Do not Kill”, and extend their preaching beyond issues of violence involving pangas, guns, and bombs, to also include indirect forms of killing such as the increased use of highly hazardous agrochemicals that have recently threatened human life.

The call was made yesterday by Miss Medias Bihunirwa, the Head of Programs at PELUM Association, a regional network of civil society organizations in East and Southern Africa that promotes sustainable agriculture among small-scale farmers.

Speaking during an online engagement on X (formerly Twitter), themed “The Hidden Danger on Your Plate,” organized by the Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) ahead of World Food Day, Ms. Bihunirwa expressed concern over the increasing production of dangerous agrochemicals in European countries. She noted that while many of these chemicals are banned within Europe due to their toxicity, they are still being exported and sold in other parts of the world, especially in Africa.

According to her, over 10 percent of the pesticides banned in Europe, more than 200 types are being sold across African countries. Ms. Bihunirwa questioned why the European Union, which adopted a Chemical Strategy in 2020 to protect people and the environment, still allows companies to export the same hazardous products abroad making Africa a dumping site.

She attributed this practice to profit motives by major agricultural powers, often at the expense of human and environmental health.

Ms. Bihunirwa also pointed out that many small-scale farmers lack adequate information about the dangers of these chemicals, calling for increased awareness and advocacy, both at the level of exporting countries and among importers. She emphasized the need to promote sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices in Uganda and the region.

In addition to the civil society organization like PELUM Association that has already put the petitions Online for European Union and African Union to put an end to production, import and export of toxic pesticides, She appealed to religious leaders, who reach large audiences including farmers, to use their platforms to interpret the Sixth Commandment in the context of protecting life and the environment. She encouraged them to educate their followers about the risks of toxic agrochemicals and to join advocacy efforts against their production and sale.

During the same engagement, Dr. Bernard Bwambale, a renowned nutritionist and Head of Programs at the Global Consumers Center, warned that the increasing use of toxic pesticides is contributing to serious health problems such as cancer, infertility, and miscarriages.

He called on the Ministry of Agriculture to strengthen farmer training on the safe use of agrochemicals and to promote sustainable, eco-friendly farming methods.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jonathan Lubega, a policy analyst, cautioned that failure to regulate the importation and use of hazardous agrochemicals could undermine Uganda’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2040.

He added that continued registration and importation of such chemicals violates Article 39 of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to a clean and healthy environment. Mr. Lubega urged the government to fully implement the Chemicals Act and the Agricultural Chemicals Control Act, and to support the adoption of agroecological practices for a safer and more sustainable future.

Meanwhile, in their Ensuring Food Safety Article, ESAFF Uganda warns that hazardous agrochemicals pose serious threats to human health, the environment, and food safety, noting that many chemicals used in Uganda are banned elsewhere yet remain widespread due to weak regulation, poor farmer training, and the sale of counterfeits. The organization emphasizes that misuse and overuse of such chemicals cause contamination of food and ecosystems, endangering farmers and consumers alike.

It calls for the phase-out of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) and stricter enforcement of laws governing their distribution. Rooted in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants, ESAFF advocates for farmers’ right to be free from exposure to toxic substances and promotes agroecology as a safer, sustainable alternative. Through awareness campaigns, policy advocacy, and the promotion of organic certification and local markets, ESAFF Uganda champions the transition toward chemical-free farming systems that protect health, biodiversity, and livelihoods.