Half of Farmers Worldwide Experience Pesticide Poisoning Every Year
According to a new study, approximately 46% of agricultural workers worldwide suffer from accidental pesticide poisoning each year.
A newly published academic study has revealed that nearly half of all farmers and agricultural workers worldwide experience unintentional pesticide poisoning annually.
Scope of the Study and Data
Commissioned by the Pesticide Action Network and based on public data between 2006 and 2023, the study showed that approximately 402 to 433 million cases of accidental acute pesticide poisoning occur each year.
Considering the global agricultural population of 934 million, this means that about 46% of the global farmer population is poisoned annually.
Regional Distribution and Key Rates
While southern Asia was the region with the highest number of poisoning cases, it was followed by southeastern Asia and eastern Africa.
On a national basis, the highest incidence of poisoning was recorded in Burkina Faso, where approximately 84% of farmers were determined to have experienced poisoning.
Death Rates and Global Responses
Published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, the study revealed that an estimated 11,000 deaths occur annually due to pesticide poisonings, with about 60% of these deaths taking place in India.
Jayakumar Chelaton from Pesticide Action Network India stated that the research brings to light a neglected crisis.
Pesticide Use and Health Impacts
Global pesticide use has doubled since 1990, reaching 3.8 million tonnes in 2023, and experts are demanding the phased elimination of hazardous pesticides in line with UN recommendations.
Additionally, experts point out links between pesticide exposure and chronic conditions such as Parkinson's disease, with France, Germany, and Italy recognizing Parkinson's as an occupational disease for farmers.