englishnewseasy.com
Pesticides Poison Nearly Half of World's Farmers
Watch on YouTube 📺
Pesticides Poison Nearly Half of World's Farmers
Almost half of the world's farmers are poisoned by pesticides every single year.
A major study found between 402 and 433 million poisoning cases occur annually.
That means approximately 46% of all farmers worldwide are poisoned each year.
The danger has surged because global pesticide use has doubled since 1990.
In 2023 alone, farms used 3.8 million tonnes of these chemicals.
Workers face direct exposure when they mix chemicals or spray their fields.
Tragically, an estimated 11,000 people die from this poisoning every year.
Nearly 60% of these fatal cases happen in India.
In Burkina Faso, the poisoning rate reaches nearly 84% of all farm workers.
Health advocates also worry about severe long-term health damage.
They warn that pesticide exposure is linked to Parkinson's disease.
This brain disorder damages movement and balance over time.
Now, researchers are calling for urgent action to protect these workers.
The authors urge governments to phase out highly hazardous pesticides.
They also want leaders to help farmers access safer alternatives.
Quiz 🧠
Q1. Spraying strong chemicals on crops can cause serious health problems for farm workers.
Show answer
✅ True
Farm chemicals are toxic. Direct contact during mixing or spraying can cause severe poisoning and long-term illness.
Q2. What does 'phase out' mean in 'phase out dangerous chemicals'?
Show answer
✅ stop using gradually
To phase out something means to remove or stop using it step by step over time.
Q3. Why do health experts want governments to replace hazardous pesticides with safer alternatives?
Show answer
✅ To protect farm workers
Dangerous pesticides poison millions of farmers every year, so safer choices are needed to save lives.
Dialogue 🎧
Liam: Charlotte, I read a stat today that completely horrified me.
Liam: Nearly half of all farmers worldwide get poisoned every single year.
Charlotte: I saw that too. It comes out to over four hundred million people annually.
Liam: Wait, four hundred million? Are they swallowing the chemicals by accident or something?
Charlotte: No, it is direct exposure.
Charlotte: They breathe it in while mixing chemicals or spraying fields.
Liam: That sounds terrifying. But haven't farming safety rules improved over the years?
Charlotte: Actually, pesticide use has doubled since 1990.
Charlotte: Farms used nearly four million tonnes in 2023.
Liam: Nearly four million tonnes? That explains why poisoning cases are exploding.
Charlotte: Exactly.
Charlotte: In Burkina Faso, almost eighty-four percent of farm workers get poisoned each year.
Liam: Eighty-four percent? That is practically everyone working in their fields!
Charlotte: It really is. And tragically, eleven thousand people die from it every year.
Liam: Eleven thousand deaths... Let me guess, is it spread evenly everywhere?
Charlotte: Not at all. Nearly sixty percent of those fatal cases happen in India.
Liam: That is heartbreaking. And what happens to the ones who survive?
Charlotte: The long-term damage is scary.
Charlotte: It is linked to Parkinson's disease, which harms movement and balance.
Liam: A brain disorder just from growing our food? That is an awful trade-off.
Charlotte: Right. That is why researchers want governments to phase out hazardous pesticides immediately.
Liam: And help farmers access safer alternatives.
Liam: They shouldn't have to risk their lives to feed us.