Exploratory study on pesticide residues on fresh vegetables from markets in Uganda: Commissioned by the Agricultural Counsellor of the Dutch Ministery of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, based in Kampala, Uganda

This study assessed pesticide use and food safety in Uganda’s horticultural sector, analyzing 726 pesticide components on three vegetables from six markets across three regions in Uganda. It found 19 different pesticide components, with Acetamiprid, Profenofos, and Cypermethrin being the most common residues. Tomatoes had the highest residue occurrence, while cabbage had the least. Some exceeded Codex Alimentarus and EU maximum residue levels, including Methamidophos which is banned for use in Uganda. Cypermethrin surpassed acute toxicity limits. Recommendations include better information in local languages, government funding for regulation enforcement and capacity building, public-private partnerships for export compliance, clear product labeling, further research with a larger sample size, and linkages to existing pest management initiatives.