Between 402 and 433 million cases of acute pesticide poisoning occur among farmers and farmworkers worldwide every year, according to a new study.
Human poisoning by pesticides has long been seen as a severe public health problem. Despite global efforts to reduce pesticide use, millions of people’s health continues to be impacted, according to a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.
With a global farming population of approximately 934 million, researchers estimate that around 46% of farmers are affected each year.
They also warn that, despite two decades of international efforts to address the harms of pesticide use, global annual consumption has doubled since 1990, reaching 3.8 million tonnes in 2023.
“We can no longer accept that those who work in the fields and grow our food are exposed to harmful pesticides and become sick,” said Susan Haffmans, from Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Germany, the organisation that commissioned the report.
