Nearly 46 percent of the world's farmers and agricultural workers suffer from unintentional acute pesticide poisoning every single year, according to a landmark global study.
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health and commissioned by the Pesticide Action Network, analyzed data from 2006 to 2023. Out of a global farming population of 934 million, researchers estimated that between 402 million and 433 million individuals experience acute pesticide poisoning annually. Furthermore, the study attributes roughly 11,000 deaths each year to pesticide poisoning, with nearly 60 percent of those fatalities occurring in India.
Regional figures reveal severe disparities. The highest numbers of poisonings were recorded in southern Asia, followed by south-east Asia and east Africa. The highest national incidence was reported in Burkina Faso in West Africa, where nearly 84 percent of farmers and agricultural workers experienced pesticide-related illness in a single year.
Most agricultural workers face exposure while mixing and spraying chemicals, as well as handling treated crops, contaminated equipment, or clothing. Despite international efforts to highlight these health hazards, global pesticide use has doubled since 1990, reaching 3.8 million tonnes in 2023.
Beyond immediate acute symptoms, health experts are increasingly alarmed by long-term risks. Growing evidence links pesticide exposure to neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, which damages parts of the brain over time, affecting movement and balance. Countries including France, Germany, and Italy have already formally recognized Parkinson's as an occupational disease among agricultural workers.
Health advocates and research authors are calling for immediate international action. They urge governments to implement United Nations recommendations to phase out highly hazardous pesticides and to support farmers in adopting safer agricultural alternatives to protect themselves and their families.