A global study estimates that about 46% of the world’s 934 million farmers and farm workers are poisoned annually by pesticides, with the highest numbers in southern Asia, southeast Asia, and east Africa.

Burkina Faso in West Africa registers the highest national incidence, affecting nearly 84% of farmers and farm workers.

From 2006 to 2023, the study estimates 402-433 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning among farmers each year.

Experts urge standardized surveillance and reporting to improve the reliability and comparability of pesticide poisoning data.

Exposure occurs through preparation, application, handling treated crops, and contaminated equipment or clothing, with personal anecdotes illustrating health impacts.

Pesticide risks compound broader food-security challenges in developing countries hit by climate shocks, conflict, and production pressures.

There is rising concern about links between pesticide exposure and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, with some countries recognizing Parkinson’s as occupational in farmers.

Researchers from the Pesticide Action Network emphasize the human toll and frame the findings as a crisis that must be addressed.

Pesticide use has risen sharply—about 3.8 million tonnes in 2023, more than double 1990—highlighting the need for safer alternatives for farmers.

Global pesticide use has more than doubled since 1990, increasing exposure risks to food production and safety.

Without pesticides, the UN FAO estimates global crop yields could fall by 20-40% due to pests and diseases, underscoring the tension between pest control and food security.

The analysis, reviewing 214 publications and WHO mortality data, concludes about 11,000 annual deaths from pesticide poisoning, with roughly 60% of fatalities in India.