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East Africa Rift (EAR) zone countries, such as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda are among the least developed countries in the world. Agricultural activities are the main source of their economy and huge amounts of pesticides have been imported for decades to protect crops from damage by pests and diseases. Some of these pesticides expired in storage before they were used and their disposal became a major problem. Further, these countries declare different policies related to pesticide management. This study reviews the relevant literature about import, disposal and health impacts of pesticides together with different related policies. Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Google were used as the main sources of information. Records show the increases in the import of pesticides in Ethiopia from 2013 to 2016, in Tanzania from 2006 to 2011, in Kenya from 2008 to 2015, and in Uganda from 1980 to 2004. Disposing of obsolete pesticides is very costly and needs proper facilities. Therefore, EAR countries transport these pesticides to European countries for incineration. For example, Ethiopia disposed of 1574.5 and 926 tonnes of obsolete pesticides in collaboration with the FAO. Acute and passive pesticide poisoning occurrences are also discussed in the review. The paper also highlights the policies so far stated. However, these policies lack proper implementation. Therefore, this study suggests EAR countries should use alternative methods to protect crops from the damage caused by pests and diseases, which could reduce the excessive import of pesticides. Similarly, training should also be given to all stakeholders to ensure implementation of all policies.
Loha et al. (Thu,) studied this question.