07/11/2025
Chemical-free tomatoes? Yes, it’s possible.
Out in the field this week, I met a farmer who has made a complete 360° shift in how he grows tomatoes and the results are nothing short of transformative.
We all know the uncomfortable truth: most tomatoes in our markets are laden with pesticides, often exceeding safe residue limits, and farmers rarely observe post-harvest intervals after spraying. Some farmers even admitted that, before this project, they wouldn’t eat a single tomato from their own farms.
Now, pause and think about that.
If the people growing our food can’t eat it, what does that say about what reaches our plates?
Enter the Integrating Sustainable Production of Tomatoes project by icipe and Biovision a groundbreaking initiative proving that safe tomato production is possible. By combining the smart use of synthetic pesticides, biopesticides, organic fertilizers, and by using parasitoids (beneficial insects) to combat Tuta absoluta- " the Covid of tomatoes" , farmers are producing tomatoes that are both safe for human consumption, and the environment.
But here’s the catch, once these tomatoes reach the market, the price is the same as those grown using harmful practices. So, the big question is:
Should farmers producing safer food earn a better price ,Or should the goal be to make safe food accessible and affordable for everyone?
Perhaps it’s time we borrowed from the dairy sector’s quality-based payment system and applied it to tomatoes and other value chains.
The image below tells a story: a boy feeding his goat on tomato rejects from farmer growing tomatoes safely. My first thought was food loss, but for the farmer , it’s a badge of success. He has reduced losses from 1 tonne (out of every 3) to just 20 kg
That is progress!
Could this be the model that shapes Kenya’s policy framework on safe tomato production? I believe it deserves urgent attention for our farmers, our markets, and our health.
