A recent study has revealed that nearly half of the world’s farmers experience pesticide poisoning annually, with India accounting for nearly 60% of the fatalities. The research, commissioned by Pesticide Action Network, utilized publicly available data from 2006-2023 and estimated that there are between 402-433 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning among farmers and farm workers each year.

Key Findings

  • Approximately 46% of the global farming population, estimated at 934 million, suffers from pesticide poisoning each year.
  • The highest incidence of poisoning was reported in Burkina Faso, where nearly 84% of farmers experienced poisoning.
  • The study indicates that around 11,000 deaths occur annually due to pesticide poisoning, with India being the most affected country.

Context

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health on Wednesday. Jayakumar Chelaton, the executive director of Pesticide Action Network India, emphasized that the findings reveal a crisis that cannot be ignored. The authors are advocating for immediate action, including the implementation of a UN recommendation to phase out highly hazardous pesticides.

Despite global efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of pesticides, their usage has continued to rise, with 3.8 million tonnes used in 2023, doubling since 1990. Dr. Sheila Willis, head of international programmes at Pesticide Action Network UK, stated, "Now that the scale of suffering has been revealed, farmers must be supported to access safer alternatives to protect their health and that of their families."