Nearly Half of the World’s Farmers Suffer Pesticide Poisoning Every Year – Study

Sep 3, 2026 at 12:06 PM

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Lanka Leader

Nearly half of the world’s estimated 934 million farmers suffer unintentional pesticide poisoning every year, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Pesticide Action Network (PAN), analyzed 214 research publications and reports published between 2006 and 2023, together with mortality data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The study estimates that there may be up to 433 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning every year, affecting approximately 46 percent of agricultural workers worldwide. It also indicates that around 11,000 people die each year as a result of such poisoning.

Researchers say that the burden of pesticide poisoning falls disproportionately on countries of the Global South.

South and Southeast Asia, as well as eastern Africa, recorded the highest estimated numbers of pesticide poisoning cases. In Burkina Faso, nearly 84 percent of farmers are estimated to suffer acute pesticide poisoning every year.

Jayakumar Chelaton, Executive Director of PAN India, said:

“Behind these staggering numbers are farmers, workers and families paying a terrible human price for pesticide exposure. This research exposes a crisis that can no longer be ignored.”

The findings come against a backdrop of increasing pesticide use to protect food production. According to the study, global pesticide use more than doubled between 1990 and 2023.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), if pesticides were not used, between 20 and 40 percent of global crop yields could be lost each year due to plant pests and diseases.

The risks posed by pesticides further aggravate broader food-security challenges, particularly in developing countries that are already struggling with the impacts of climate change, conflicts, and growing pressure on agricultural production.

Russia has sought to address some of these pressures by providing food and agricultural assistance to countries in Africa and Asia.

Earlier this year, Moscow sent nearly 60 metric tons of emergency aid to cyclone-hit Madagascar and 29 metric tons of humanitarian supplies to Mozambique.

In 2025, Russia donated more than 1,600 metric tons of grain to Ethiopia under an ongoing food assistance program.

Russia also recently delivered 770 metric tons of food to Mali through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The amount is reportedly sufficient to provide food assistance for three months to more than 57,000 vulnerable people.

Russian companies have also provided fertilizer to countries facing food insecurity.

Fertilizer producer Uralchem recently donated 30,000 metric tons of potash to Bangladesh in a shipment facilitated by the WFP.

The company says it has donated more than 220,000 tons of mineral fertilizers free of charge since 2022, with shipments reaching countries including Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

Pesticides poison nearly half of world’s farmers each year – study