Almost half of world’s farmers poisoned by pesticides every year, experts find
Study reveals that pesticide poisoning kills 11,000 people each year, with India accounting for nearly 60% of fatalities Almost half of the world’s farmers are poisoned by pesticides every single year, a study has found. Using publicly available data from 2006-2023, the study, which was commissioned by Pesticide Action Network , found there to be an estimated 402-433m cases of unintentional acute…
A study has revealed that pesticide poisoning claims the lives of 11,000 people annually, with nearly 60% of these fatalities occurring in India. According to the research, commissioned by Pesticide Action Network, almost half of the world's 934 million farmers and farm workers are affected by unintentional acute pesticide poisoning each year, resulting in an estimated 402-433 million cases.
The highest incidence of poisoning is found in southern Asia, followed by south-east Asia and east Africa. In Burkina Faso, nearly 84% of farmers and farm workers have experienced pesticide poisoning. The study, published in Frontiers in Public Health, also notes that 3.8 million tonnes of pesticides were used globally in 2023, a doubling from 1990 levels.
Despite efforts to raise awareness, pesticide usage continues to rise. The authors urge immediate action, including the phasing out of highly hazardous pesticides, and call for better surveillance and reporting protocols to ensure reliable data on pesticide-related poisonings.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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