New study reveals alarming health and environmental consequences of pesticide use in Bangladesh, India, Laos, and Vietnam.
Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific (PANAP) has released a critical new report, Sowing Harm: The Multifaceted Impact of Pesticides in Four Countries, which highlights the devastating consequences of pesticide use on human health, food safety, and the environment in Bangladesh, India, Laos, and Vietnam, in recognition of World Health Day. The report underscores the urgent need for agroecological alternatives and stricter pesticide regulations to protect farmers, consumers, and ecosystems.
Drawing on extensive field studies and scientific research, the report exposes the widespread use of highly hazardous pesticides in agriculture, despite evidence that sufficient, healthy food can be produced without them. It details the severe health risks faced by farmers, women, and children who are exposed to toxic chemicals through direct contact, pesticide drift, and food residues. The findings indicate a troubling increase in acute pesticide poisoning in India and Laos, with incidence rates reaching 73.63% and over 90%, respectively.
“The data is clear: pesticide exposure is causing an epidemic of poisoning, chronic illness, and environmental degradation. We cannot continue to ignore the evidence that these chemicals are harming not just farmers and their families, but entire communities. It is time for governments to take decisive action to ban the most dangerous pesticides and invest in safer, sustainable farming practices.” Dr. Meriel Watts, author of Sowing Harm: The Multifaceted Impact of Pesticides in Four Countries
The report also reveals the alarming presence of pesticide residues in food, with high levels detected in vegetables, rice, dairy, and other staples. In Laos, 42% of vegetable consumers were found to have unacceptable levels of cholinesterase inhibition, a direct consequence of exposure to organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. Similarly, in India, pesticide residues in milk and cardamom samples were found to exceed safety limits, raising serious concerns about food safety and consumer health.
Environmental contamination is another key finding of the report. Pesticides have been detected in soil, water, and even household dust, affecting not only human populations but also wildlife, pollinators, and soil health. Residues of banned pesticides such as DDT and endosulfan persist in groundwater and food chains, demonstrating the long-term ecological consequences of their use.
The report calls on governments, civil society organizations, and international bodies to take urgent action by:
- Strengthening pesticide regulations and banning hazardous pesticides.
- Providing comprehensive training for farmers on agroecological alternatives.
- Increasing investment in research on pesticide health impacts, particularly on women and children.
- Ensuring strict enforcement of pesticide residue limits in food and water.
PANAP urges a shift away from pesticide-reliant industrial agriculture towards ecologically sound farming methods that protect health, biodiversity, and food security.
The full report Sowing Harm: The Multifaceted Impact of Pesticides in Four Countries is available for download.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Dinesh Rajendran, Pesticide Programme Officer: dinesh@panap.net
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