# Almost half of world’s farmers poisoned by pesticides every year, experts find

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/almost-half-of-worlds-farmers-poisoned-by-pesticides-every-year-experts-find/
- Published: 2026-09-02T06:00:25+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-02T06:15:57+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/02/50-per-cent-world-farmers-poisoned-pesticides-every-year-experts
- Topics: Asia, Business, Research, Science, World

## Key points

- Study finds ~46% of farmers poisoned by pesticides annually worldwide
- Pesticide poisoning kills roughly 11,000 people a year, mostly in India
- Experts urge phasing out hazardous pesticides and better safety support

## Summary

A study commissioned by Pesticide Action Network has found that almost half of the world's farmers and farm workers are unintentionally poisoned by pesticides every year, describing a global health crisis that has largely gone unaddressed. Researchers are calling for immediate action, including implementation of a UN recommendation to phase out highly hazardous pesticides, warning that global pesticide use continues to rise despite decades of awareness of its dangers.

Drawing on data from 2006-2023, the study estimated 402-433 million cases of acute pesticide poisoning annually among a global farming population of 934 million, equating to roughly 46%. Southern Asia recorded the highest number of poisonings, while Burkina Faso had the highest national rate, at nearly 84%. The research also linked pesticides to around 11,000 deaths a year, almost 60% of them in India, and noted growing evidence connecting pesticide exposure to Parkinson's disease, though it did not assess long-term health effects or risks to the estimated 84 million children working in agriculture.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.