Communique- Reinforced EU Import Controls on Pesticide Residues
The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), through the COMESA–EAC Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA), draws the attention of Member States, competent authorities, exporters, and horticulture value-chain operators to the European Union’s reinforced controls on imported agri-food products, with particular emphasis on pesticide residues.
The European Commission has announced a major reinforcement of official controls affecting products entering the EU market. Measures include a 50% increase in audits in third countries over the next two years, a 33% increase in audits of EU Border Control Posts, closer monitoring of non-compliant commodities and countries with the possibility of increased check frequencies, and the establishment of a dedicated EU Task Force (early 2026) focusing particularly on pesticide residues, among other priority areas. The Commission has further indicated the immediate updating of rules governing imports containing “traces” of particularly hazardous pesticides banned in the EU, aligned to updated international classifications and health protection objectives.
Implications for CEHA exporters and supply chains
These measures materially increase the likelihood of:
Mandatory compliance expectations (effective immediately)
All exporters and supply-chain operators supplying the EU market must implement, at a minimum, the following actions:
Actions requested of Member State competent authorities
Member States are encouraged to support exporters through:
Member States and exporters are requested to treat this advisory as urgent and to initiate immediate compliance-strengthening actions to safeguard continued market access and the sustained EU market.
CEHA Secretariat / ACTESA (COMESA)
Farm visits were an exciting and remarkable addition to the COMESA Multisectoral Trade Exhibition, the inaugural COMESA-EU Horticulture Connect, and the 18th COMESA Business Forum held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 6-9 October 2025.
CEHA, in collaboration with the COMESA EDF Institutional Capacity Building Programme, was delighted to facilitate farm visits for the COMESA small-scale farmers and the EU buyers who were keen to undertake farm visits at Sian Flowers, Sereni Fries Limited, Kevian Kenya Limited (KKL), and Exotic Penina Field Group, on the outskirts of Nairobi.
The farm visits provided an incredible opportunity and platform for knowledge and information sharing, networking, and exchange of experiences and best practices. This was a demonstration of the crucial role of practical market linkages in advancing strategic engagement, building partnerships that enhance market access and distribution networks.
The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), a Specialized Agency of COMESA, through the COMESA–EAC Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA), invites official applications from agribusinesses operating in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Rwanda for Matching Grants aimed at accelerating the growth and sustainability of horticultural value chains. This call is issued under the CEHA Matching Grant Facility Implementation and Award Modality (MGFIAM), designed to support innovative agribusiness projects that enhance smallholder farmer incomes, promote gender equity, foster climate-smart practices, and strengthen competitiveness within horticultural value chains across the region.
GRANT DETAILS: FUNDING RANGE: USD 50,000 TO USD 100,000.
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 14TH JANUARY 2026, 17:00 HRS EAT. See application details below;
Delve into highlights of the COMESA-EU Horticulture Connect, beyond an event, unforgettable moments brought together COMESA Horticulture producers and European Union buyers from the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Italy to co-create business opportunities, advance strategic engagement, build partnerships, and create market linkages.
Together, CEHA and the COMESA EDF Institutional Capacity Building Programme are championing the unlocking of the horticulture sector for competitiveness, enhanced trade facilitation, regional integration, and global market linkages.
A remarkable and transformative journey has begun!!! The first-ever COMESA-EU Horticulture Connect has been unveiled in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together COMESA Horticulture producers and European Union buyers from the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Italy to co-create business opportunities, advance strategic engagement, build partnerships, and create market linkages.
Convened on the sidelines of the 18th COMESA Business Forum and the 24th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government, the COMESA EU- Horticulture Connect is in line with COMESA’s mandate to contribute to market access and trade facilitation. The connect was held under the theme: Leveraging Digitalisation to Deepen Regional Chains for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.”
Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Kenya, delivered a keynote address, with the COMESA Secretary General, H.E. Chileshe Kapwepwe, Hon. Lee Kinyanjui, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, Kenya, Lana Žutelija, from the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Zambia, and COMESA delivering remarkable speeches.
Together, the speakers highlighted the importance of bold innovations, harmonised regional standards and policies, investments, and public-private partnerships in unlocking the horticulture sector for competitiveness, enhanced trade facilitation, regional integration, and global market linkages.
A high-level public-private partnership discussion brought to the fore the urgent need to address challenges impacting the horticultural sector; among them, lack of infrastructure, unstable policies, lack of harmonised standards, technology, capacity building, logistical challenges, and financing for horticulture farmers.
High-level dignitaries from the Government, Member States, the European Union, Agri-business, farmers, and ordinary citizens discussed various topics, including boosting agricultural productivity through smart agriculture to enhance the value chain, digitalization of trade and promotion of investment, and enhanced trade through digital transformation.
Secretary General Chileshe M. Kapwepwe remarked that the event offers an exciting opportunity to build on gains already achieved, adding that the engagement with the delegates from the European Union is essential to advance business partnerships and investment opportunities
Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, urged the private sector to seize this moment as opportunities are vast in sustainable production, value addition, regional trade, and access to the lucrative European market. " Let this COMESA–European Union Team Leader Environment and Climate, Rural Development, Trade Cooperation, Ms Lana Zutelija, pledged continued support from the European Union in promoting trade facilitation in the COMESA region.
Supported by the COMESA EDF Institutional Capacity Building Programme, the COMESA-EU Connect platform builds on the achievements of the EU-funded COMESA Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP) by facilitating Business-to-Business meetings, farm visits, Business-to-Government engagements, and partnership dialogues, further strengthening market linkages and fostering inclusive economic growth.
The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) and the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at enhancing agriculture productivity and sustainability across the continent.
This collaboration marks a pivotal step in strengthening agriculture research, policies, and regulations to ensure small farmer-holder access to quality and affordable fertilizer.
The MoU, officially signed at the COMESA Secretariat in Lusaka, Zambia on January 21st, 2025, also included high-level discussions on strengthening regional partnerships to ensure coordinated efforts, sustainability, and inclusive economic development for the COMESA Member States.
ACTESA Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Mukuka, remarked on the relevance of ensuring smallholder farmers access to quality, accessible and affordable fertilizer in the region.
Dr Mukuka highlighted that the partnership with IFDC is crucial to coordinating and accelerating the implementation of the COMESA Fertilizer Regional Programme (COMFREP). COMFREP aims to improve smallholder farmer’s timely access to quality, and affordable fertilizers for the 21 COMESA Member States.
COMESA Director for Industry and Agriculture, Ms. Providence Mavubi, reiterated COMESA’s commitment to advancing smart agriculture initiatives aimed at improving the livelihood of farmers and ensuring food security in the region.
‘’We continue to ensure that the agriculture sector in the COMESA region is competitive through supporting agriculture extension services, investments in research, and supporting policy formulation and implementation for increased trade in agricultural produce,” She remarked.
IFDC president, Dr Hendrik Jan Warner Van Duijn underscored the importance of private sector engagement and partnerships in fostering agriculture productivity as a key economic driver.
“Agriculture restructuring and policy reforms are crucial in creating opportunities for smallholder farmers to produce most efficiently. Member states can leverage their respective agriculture initiatives and innovations to boost soil health and agriculture sustainability across the continent,” he said.
Together, COMESA through ACTESA and IFDC are committed to enhancing intra-regional agriculture trade by supporting small-holder farmers.
Research suggests that Agriculture is the backbone of the COMESA and EAC regional economies, contributing significantly to employment, food security, and export earnings. Staples such as maize, potatoes, and rice; agricultural inputs including seed, fertilizer, and agrochemicals; and horticultural products such as fruits and vegetables represent key value chains supporting livelihoods and intra-regional trade.
However, the sector remains constrained by multiple non-tariff barriers such as non-harmonized Sanitary and Phytosanitary requirements, fragmented seed and input certification systems, and duplicative testing protocols, among other things.
These barriers not only raise transaction costs and delay cross-border trade, particularly for perishables, but also suppress private sector participation in the value chains, productivity, and regional food system resilience. Enhanced
To contribute to unlocking the full potential of agricultural value chains by eliminating NTBs and aligning regulatory frameworks, ACTESA and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, Uganda, have joined forces in championing a barrier-free regional trade environment that enables efficient, inclusive, and competitive horticultural value chains in Eastern and Southern Africa through spearheading the review of institutional arrangements and promoting coordination mechanisms for NTB Taskforces and SPS systems at the national and regional level.
This was manifested by the convening of the COMESA EAC Horticulture Accelerator, Regional Forum on NTB/SPS held in Entebbe, Uganda, on the 17th and 18th of September.
The Forum aimed to strengthen National and Regional NTB/SPS Taskforces in CEHA countries, including defining institutional mandates, coordination mechanisms, and governance structures for NTB/SPS oversight.
A crucial outcome of the meeting was the formalization of the role of CEHA National Chapters in national NTB monitoring and the institutionalization of the NTWG at the country level. This will contribute to ensuring that NTB/SPS-related issues in the horticulture sector across the CEHA target countries are tracked, investigated, reported, and addressed promptly.
Key stakeholders from the private and public sectors, including strategic partners like the GIZ and Trademark Africa, explored mechanisms to define institutional mandates and strengthen the governance structures of the regional NTB/SPS Taskforces.
Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industry, Mr Deogratius Musagazi, and the ACTESA CEO, Dr John Mukuka, remarked on the critical role of functional NTB and SPS institutional frameworks in the elimination of NTBS.
The two speakers emphasized that trade barriers, including regulatory requirements, certification procedures, and compliance standards, lead to increased costs, delayed market access, and reduced competitiveness for small and medium-sized enterprises in the region.
Mr Deogratius Musagazi called for quick harmonization of Standards and Procedures through systematic coordination, while reducing compliance burdens. He stated that institutional frameworks are crucial in enabling the sharing of best practices, technical expertise, and capacity-building resources across member countries.
“Effective task forces serve as early warning systems and resolution mechanisms for emerging trade barriers. Based on global best practices and regional experiences, effective NTB and SPS task forces should incorporate several critical elements”, he remarked.
The ACTESA CEO explained that the COMESA-EAC Horticulture Accelerator (CEHA) was established to unlock the enormous potential of the fruit and vegetable sector as a driver of inclusive growth.
Dr Mukuka reaffirmed ACTESA’s commitment to working with EAC, governments, and development partners to ensure that NTB elimination is not only discussed but also implemented with urgency for the benefit of farmers, SMEs, and exporters.
Together, we are championing a barrier-free regional trade environment that enables efficient, inclusive, and competitive horticultural value chains in Eastern and Southern Africa.
The COMESA-EAC Horticultural Accelerator (CEHA), in collaboration with the East African Community (EAC), held a collaborative and transformative Regional Forum on the Market Information System (MIS) and the Regional Food Balance Sheet (RFBS) in ARUSHA, Tanzania, on 20th and 21 August 2025.
The regional Forum aligns with CEHA’s vision of supporting the development and adoption of a regional MIS platform integrated into the Regional Food Balance Sheet (RFBS), a multi-country framework for tracking production, consumption, trade flows, and food security indicators across the region.
In his official opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture, Tanzania, Mr. Gerald Mweli, noted that the forum was crucial for advancing regional harmonized and integrated MIS and RFBS that inform policy direction, decision making, and strengthening market systems.
“MIS is anticipated to integrate our national systems into the Regional Food Balance Sheet (RFBS), providing real-time data on production, prices, trade flows, and demand trends. This is not a standalone database; it is the foundation for regional value chain coordination, enabling decision makers to make informed choices in responding to market signals, attracting targeted investments, and strengthening our competitiveness in regional markets”. He stated.
He observed that systemic inefficiencies in data flow, market access, and post-harvest management hinder inclusive growth and intra-regional trade.
“Market intelligence tools like MIS are critical in boosting farmer incomes, stabilizing food supply chains, and enhancing regional food security. This is why the integration of CEHA’s Market Information System (MIS) with the Regional Food Balance Sheet (RFBS) framework is not only timely but essential as the EACs and COMESA’s broader trade and business agenda, leveraging digitalization to deepen regional value chains for sustainable and inclusive growth’’ he remarked.
Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa, Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Mukuka, remarked that MIS is relevant in ensuring the availability of accurate, timely, and standardised market data towards unlocking the trade and investment potential of the Horticulture sector in COMESA and EAC regions.
“Without reliable, timely, and standardised market data, farmers cannot plan production, exporters cannot identify opportunities, and policymakers cannot respond effectively to changing market conditions. Therefore, today’s forum is key in building consensus on governance, data sharing protocols, technical interoperability, and sustainability models.
EAC Acting Director for Productive Sectors, Mr Simon Kiarie, updated that EAC has intensified efforts to enhance the Horticulture Sector by implementing the Fruits and Vegetables strategy and post-harvest Management initiatives aimed at improving farmers' income.
He remarked that EAC is committed to deepening regional integration through enhanced intra-regional trade and promoting regional horticulture food security systems in the COMESA and EAC regions.
And Green Revolution Regional Program Officer, Food Trade in East and Southern Africa, Solomon Baregu, underscored the need for strategic partnerships and consensus-building that support harmonized, regional MIS for transparency, private sector investment, and policy responsiveness.
The collaborative platform brought together strategic partners, including experts in MIS and RFBS from the Ministries of Agriculture, trade, and the National Bureau of Statistics in the CEHA Target countries of Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda. Other Partners included COLEAD and GIZ.
The Regional Forum marks a key step towards realising the COMESA and EAC aspiration of boosting farmer incomes, stabilizing food supply chains, and enhancing regional horticulture food security systems in the COMESA and EAC regions.
