Invisible
of Pesticides
Boundaries
Exploring the global reach of pesticides and the demand for global action.
PROJECT FUNDED BY
REALIZED BY
The digital exhibition *Invisible Boundaries of Pesticides* is an initiative of the International Pesticide Standard Alliance (IPSA), in collaboration with the International Center for Water and Transdisciplinarity (CIRAT) and the OAK Foundation. Its primary objective is to raise public awareness about the urgent need for an international regulatory framework under the United Nations, in response to the inadequacy of existing conventions and the ongoing use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs). These substances, frequently banned in Global North countries, continue to be manufactured and exported to the Global South, exacerbating inequalities and exposing entire communities to severe risks. The widespread use of pesticides extends beyond agricultural fields, contaminating rivers, wildlife, forest, and human populations. Their residues accumulate, cross borders, and compromise human health, leading to diseases and deaths at an alarming rate, while also unbalancing ecosystems. The exhibition is structured into galleries that showcase fragments of the global impacts caused by pesticides—only tips of far larger icebergs. These examples, compiled from scientific research, underscore that these toxic substances do not respect boundaries, infiltrating food, water, and human health. For pesticides, borders are invisible. The exhibition concludes by envisioning sustainable futures. Just as a tree emerges and grows quietly, there are already worlds taking root—cultivating and producing without pesticides, grounded in justice and health.
The International Pesticide Standard Alliance (IPSA) is a global initiative dedicated to strengthening international standards for pesticide use, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and protecting human and environmental health in the face of the indiscriminate use of pesticides. In a context of growing global concern about soil, water, and food chain contamination, IPSA’s work plays a strategic role by integrating science, public policy, and civil society around a common goal: the international standardization of pesticides (in terms of authorized substances, residue limits, and application methods) and urgent measures for the global ban of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs). IPSA’s trajectory has been marked by significant institutional milestones. Among them, two major international conferences stand out: the first, held at the Brazilian National Congress in Brasília, brought together researchers, parliamentarians, the federal government, and social movements; and the second, hosted at the European Parliament in Brussels, expanded political dialogue across different regional blocs and consolidated the need for alignment of international norms. These conferences not only strengthened public debate but also produced concrete outcomes. One of them was the drafting of the Brussels Statement, a document that brings together principles, guidelines, and commitments made by various international actors in support of reducing the indiscriminate use of pesticides and advancing the transition toward safer and more sustainable agricultural models. Another fundamental contribution of IPSA is the publication of its book, which brings together prominent international authors from different fields of knowledge and practice, including jurists, lawmakers, environmentalists, and academics. This work serves not only as a repository of technical knowledge but also as an instrument for raising awareness and fostering engagement in the development of public policies for agriculture and food production. The IPSA Virtual Exhibition therefore aims to present to a global audience the journey of this initiative, its actions, results, and its relevance for the future of agricultural production, food security, human health, and ecosystems. By gathering information on conferences, publications, and key documents, the exhibition reinforces the importance of establishing an international standard for pesticides, essential to protect biodiversity, ensure food quality, and safeguard public health. IPSA - International Pesticides Standard Alliance
impact
on our
Food
The presence of pesticides is most apparent in food, where most people notice their impact. From being sources of nourishment and vitality, foods become silent carriers of contamination. However, the harm extends beyond food: pollinators, such as bees, vital for fruit production, are also affected by these poisons and face the threat of extinction. Their loss endangers a critical component of the life cycle that supports our food system.
Honey
A study by Unicamp's Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas (CPQBA) detected pesticides above the limit in honey and beeswax. Of the 40 samples analyzed, six had glyphosate above the legal limit, and in the waxes, one or more pesticides were detected in 90% of the samples.
Glyphosate, even in small doses, has an effect on the neurons and behavior of bees. The product, which has been found in honey above acceptable limits for sale, can affect associative memory, impairing their return to the hive, which leads to their death.⁴
oN
oN
Corn
Mexico is considered the center of genetic origin and diversity of corn in the world. 64 different corn races have been identified in Mexico, representing thousands of native varieties which are grown not in monocultures, but in diversified, traditional agricultural ecosystems known as “milpa”.⁵
Glyphosate is used in Mexico mainly on corn, corresponding to 35% of its use in the country in 2020. Most glyphosate is imported from the United States and China.⁶
Traditional polyculture
of milpa systems
use herbicides
11%
12%
use insecticides
use insecticides
13%
use herbicides
68%
Conventional
corn
monoculture
Valle del Mayo is an important agricultural area at the northwest of Mexico where up to 20,000 L of a mix composed of glyphosate and tordon is used per year just to eliminate grass in irrigation canals and drains.
It has been shown that in the communities of Valle del Mayo, concentrations of 5 μg/L of glyphosate can be found in private wells and that workers who consume this water tend to fall ill more frequently than the ones who drink tap water.⁸
Studies on the external dose revealed that agricultural workers ingest up to 146 mg/kg/day.
53% of the workers showed cellular damage; the exposure time to pesticides in the people of Valle del Mayo can induce alterations which can cause chronic damage.⁹
VALLE DEL MAYO/MEXICO
Based on the FAO data statistics in 2016, China was the world leader in the production of vegetables and fruits (FAO, 2016), with 39% of the world production.¹⁵
The vegetable and fruit samples with the highest percentages of HHPs exceeding MRLs were found in eggplants from Guangxi (20%) and grapes from Inner Mongolia (12.5%), respectively.¹⁴
18 HHPs were detected in 325 (4.96%) samples, and the levels of HHPs in 103 (1.57%) samples were found to be higher than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of China.
6554 vegetable and fruit samples from 31 regions of China between 2014 and 2017.
Pears
oN
In a 2-year investigation (2013–2014), the levels of 104 pesticides were measured in 310 pear samples. In 93.2% of the samples, 43 pesticides were detected. Only 6.8% of the samples did not contain residues.
The MRLs were exceeded in 2.6% of the samples. Multiple residues (two to eight compounds) were present in 69.7% of the samples; one sample contained 10 pesticides.
A potential acute risk was demonstrated for children in the case of bifenthrin, present at 105.36% of the acute reference dose (ARfD) value.¹³
CHINA/ASIA
Rice
oN
Rice from fields in Java, Indonesia, deviating from FAO’s Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Guidelines, reveals the presence of 7 HHPs, with 2 exceeding globally established residue limits by twice the recommended amount.
The bifenthrin and tebuconazole identified are not normally used in the region, which raises questions about their origin and the potential for cross-contamination.¹⁰
INDONESIA
Metalaxyl, chlorpyrifos, and thiamethoxam were the most frequently detected pesticides, with notable violations attributed to chlorpyrifos and propargite, reflecting improper application practices and non-compliance with pre-harvest intervals.¹¹
EGYPT/AFRICA
Bananas
oN
In 57 banana samples taken from the local markets of the Canary Islands (Spain), chlorpyrifos was detected in 50 samples (88%)
2 samples containing fenitrothion were above the EU maximum residue limits (MRLs) established.¹²
SPAIN/EUROPE
Banana pesticide residues across key Egyptian regions between 2021 and 2023
44.1%
of samples contained detectable residues
9.9%
exceeding maximum residue limits
241 grape samples from Peru, collected in 2021 as part of the National Contaminant Monitoring Program, 33.2% showed pesticide residues above the maximum permitted limits.¹⁶
In 2013, a study of 45 grape samples from different regions of Peru found 68.9% of pesticide residues above the maximum limits allowed by the European Union.¹⁷
PERU/SOUTH AMERICA
oN
Grapes
In 2015 and 2016,
USDA scientists tested 1,174 batches of conventional strawberries, finding that:
99%
of the samples had detectable residues of at least one pesticide.
30%
had residues of 10 or more pesticides.
The most contaminated sample had residues of 23 different pesticides and breakdown products.
Strawberry samples contained residues of 82 different pesticides in various combinations
Department of Agriculture tests found that strawberries were the fresh produce item most likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues, even after they are picked, rinsed in the field and washed before eating.
USA/NORTH AMERICA
Strawberry
oN
Among the dangerous substances was carbendazim, banned by EU, but detected on 16% of strawberry samples.
Bifenthrin, a pyrethroid insecticide that the EPA and California regulators have designated a “possible human carcinogen,” was found on more than 29% of strawberry samples.¹⁸
Diphenylamine was found on 60% of tests conducted by USDA scientists of 334 raw non-organic apple samples. The tests were conducted in 2023.
Since diphenylamine is sprayed on fruit after it is harvested, USDA tests find it more often and at greater concentrations than they do most other pesticide residues on apples, with the exception of the fungicide pyrimethanil.¹⁹
USA/NORTH AMERICA
Apples
oN
oN
Bees
Studies have reported that neonicotinoids in honey have serious negative effects on the behavior and various functions of honey bees, including the impairment of flight ability, motor function, circadian rhythms, phototaxis, thermoregulation, learning and memory functions.²
Acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid were top three dominant neonicotinoids in honey on Chinese market with the detection frequencies of 92.6%, 90.4%, and 73.4%, respectively.
Neonicotinoids and their metabolites were overall detected in 97.9% of 94 honey samples selected from Chinese market. The residues were likely to affect the health of honey bees.³
CHINA/ASIA
State of Tlaxcala, Mexico⁷
Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) released data from the Program for Analysis of Pesticide Residues in Food (Para) for 2017 - 2018 with a total of 4,616 samples of 14 foods (fruits and vegetables) analyzed, collected from 77 municipalities in Brazil, statistically representing the consumption of these foods in the country.
Of the 14 foods analyzed, five showed samples with potential acute risk: pineapple, sweet potato, guava, orange, and grape.
Carbofuran was the pesticide most commonly associated with food samples posing an acute risk. The use of this pesticide has been banned by Anvisa since April 2018.
Oranges had the highest number of samples with detected acute risk, with a total of 26 (6.8%) out of 382 samples analyzed, mainly due to carbofuran.²⁰
BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA
Oranges
oN
In the survey by the Program for Analysis of Pesticide Residues in Food in 27 states of Brazil, a sample was found with residues of ethephon in pineapple in a situation of potential acute risk. The residue was detected at a concentration above the MRL.²¹
BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA
Pinnaples
oN
IMPACT ON OUR
Water
In this gallery, it is the butterflies that welcome us—fragile travelers that, alighting on flowers and water sources, remind us of the delicate interdependence of life. Here, we explore how pesticides infiltrate the water cycle: seeping into soils, carried by rains, flowing through rivers, reaching oceans, contaminating glaciers, and permeating the bodies of animals. As bioaccumulators, their residues are not confined to the food produced; they spread and circulate across the planet, reaching unimaginable places. Water, essential to life, becomes a mirror reflecting the borderless nature of pesticides.
Butterflies
In England, the total abundance of widespread butterfly species declined by 58% on farmed land where neonicotinoid pesticides are used (between 2000 and 2009), despite a doubling in conservation spending in the UK. Indices for 15 of the 17 species showed negative associations with neonicotinoid usage.¹
Wall Brown
Lasiommata megera
Small Skipper
Thymelicus sylvestris
-64%
Essex Skipper
Thymelicus lineola
-67%
Small Tortoiseshell
Aglais urticae
-62%
-37%
*Species in 10 year population trend (2000–2009)
oN
14 pesticides and 5 degradation products were analysed in rainwater from 3 cities in the State of São Paulo with distinct land uses. 3 insecticides and 2 insecticide degradation products showed high risk quotient, indicating that rainwater alone is a source of pesticide contamination.²
100%
of the samples had atrazine and tebuconazole.
of the samples presented Fipronil, permitted in Brazil but already banned in Europe and the USA
67%
Rain
oN THE
BRAZIL / SOUTH AMERICA
oN
OUR
Soil
Only 32% of sprayed pesticides reach the target plants, while 49% fall on the soil and 16% spread through the air to surrounding areas. In the EU, aerial spraying of pesticides has been banned since 2009.³
Glyphosate, which can bind strongly to cations on the soil, and Paraquat, which is highly soluble in water, have a mineral chelating effect and an impact on the soil fertility where applied.⁴
The degradation caused by pesticides application induces a vicious cycle of dependence on chemical inputs.⁵
Rivers
oN
BRAZIL / SOUTH AMERICA
The levels of glyphosate allowed in water in Brazil are 5,000 times higher than in the European Union.⁶
46,15%
In a research involving water analysis in seven Cerrado communities in seven Brazilian states, at points chosen because of their importance for use, at least one pesticide residue was identified in all the samples collected.
of the pesticides found are banned in the European Union (Atrazine, Cyproconazole, Epoxiconazole, Fipronil, Metolachlor, Picoxystrobin)
In the European Union, aerial spraying of pesticides has been banned since 2009, on the grounds that it is harmful to human health and the environment.
In the territories participating in the action research, a total of 13 AIs were identified in the water samples collected. All of them are registered for use on soy crops in Brazil, although many are banned by the European Union (EU) for their high toxicity or threats to the environment and people’s health.
Glyphosate was detected in all seven states. In Tocantins, it was detected in 100% of the first cycle points. Both glyphosate and 2,4-D are very soluble in water, which means they are more likely to get into and spread through water.⁷
Oceans
oN
AUSTRALIA / OCEANIA
The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem and a World Heritage site that is facing serious threats from multiple pressures, being coastal development and poor water quality between them.⁸
The GBR catchment area (GBRCA) consists of 35 basins that drain to the GBR lagoon, along approximately 2000 km of the east coast of Queensland, Australia, where agriculture is the dominant land use (~77%).⁹
Active ingredients (AIs) of herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides that have been detected in catchments and the inshore marine zone of the GBR are derived primarily from these agricultural land uses.¹⁰
Seals & Killer Whales
oN
Blubber samples of 3 killer whales and 77 seals were collected from the Southern Ocean, Antarctica and analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). PCBs and chlordanes were the most abundant persistent organic pollutants (POPs) found.
An increasing trend of PCB and OCP concentrations with increasing trophic level was observed, from krill to the killer whale. POPs are influenced by variations in habitat, diet and metabolic transformations.¹¹
ON
Fishes
About half of the forested land in New Brunswick, Canada, was treated with DDT between 1952 and 1968. DDTs were observed in Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) approximately 50 years after aerial application at levels that pose ecological risks.
On average, DDTs in Brook Trout from impact lakes exceeded ecological guidelines for consumers of aquatic biota by about ten times.
Aerial applications of DDT have likely increased the risk of chronic effects in aquatic ecosystems from this legacy insecticide given its high persistence in soil and sediments and its bioaccumulation potential within the food web. ¹⁵
NEW BRUNSWICK / CANADÁ
Among West African countries, Benin is known as the main producer of cotton. High levels of DDT, endosulfan, dieldrin and heptachlor were detected in the waters near agricultural sites (Agbado/Savalou, Atacora and Djona).¹²
Endosulfan is the most extensively used (75% of total volume of pesticide) in the cotton-producing basin of Alibori River, Benin (Agbohessi et al., 2011).¹³
Agricultural pesticides significantly impair the endocrine regulation and reproduction capacity of fish living in the Beninese cotton basin.¹⁴
BENIM / AFRICA
oN
Polar Bears
OCPs and PCBs accumulate along the food chain, thus bears in the Arctic region are affected because they feed on seals, which in turn store these substances in their fat tissue.
This exposure is associated with reduced bone density in polar bears, which can compromise mobility and increase the likelihood of bone fractures.
Organochlorines have been accumulating in the Arctic due to northward atmospheric transport. ¹⁶
Glaciers
oN
Glaciers can be a reservoir of OCPs, PCBs, PBDEs that have been transported by the atmosphere to the Arctic. As the melting of glaciers is significantly accelerated nowadays because of the increased effect of global warming, loads of POPs to the surrounding environment is expected to greatly increase. ¹⁷
Trapped POPs in the ice can be released to the environment during spring melt causing them to bioaccumulate in the Antarctic organisms. ¹⁸
Melting of Alpine glaciers have been found to be a major source of OCPs in sediments and mussels (during 2005) of lakes in Italy and Switzerland. ¹⁹
Besides, melting glaciers supply 50 to 97% of the OCP inputs to Bow lake in Alberta, Canada, and were found to be a probable source of DDTs in the Antarctic marine ecosystem. ²⁰
IMPACT
ON OUR
Health
The cycle of pesticides finds one of its most disruptive paths in the human body. The first to be impacted are rural workers, exposed daily to toxic substances that cause everything from acute poisoning to severe chronic diseases. However, the effects extend beyond the fields: they reach neighboring communities, consumers, and entire populations through water and food. Human health, thus, becomes the central territory of the invisible impacts of pesticides.
On December 3rd 1984, in the city of Bhopal, India, the biggest chemical disaster in history took place. The substance responsible for the event was methyl isocyanate (MIC), a highly toxic pesticide. Due to various failures and negligence in the maintenance and safety of the factory, this tragedy occurred, but several events had already been reported.
The failure of worn valves allowed water to enter the largest MIC tank, triggering an uncontrollable exothermic reaction. The increasing pressure ruptured the concrete structure, releasing a lethal cloud of MIC and other toxic substances, resulting in a leak of approximately 40 tons of toxic gas, making it one of the biggest industrial catastrophes in history.¹
PHOTOS BY MARTIN STOTT
BHOPAL/INDIA
Impacts on the health of the Indian population
The impacts on human health were catastrophic, according to data, after the explosion at the plant approximately 2,200 people were killed immediately by the pesticide, causing asphyxiation and chemical burns in people's lungs.²
The Department of Relief and Rehabilitation, Government of Madhya Pradesh, has stated that of the more than 200,000 persons exposed, more than 6,000 deaths have resulted, and about 50,000 persons are estimated to be suffering from long-term health effects.³
Thousands of surviving victims have suffered permanent sequelae such as blindness, cancer, respiratory diseases, neurological problems and more. Continuous exposure to contaminated water and soil has been associated with higher rates of cancer, birth defects and immune system diseases in the local population.⁴
Impacts on soil and water
The environmental impacts were also devastating and persist to this day. The contamination of the soil and groundwater caused by the plant has affected thousands of local residents, as the concentration of dangerous chemical substances is still present decades after the accident. Reports say that since 1990 the community has been demonstrating for clean water, and it is worth noting that in 1996 the local government carried out tests on the water and found high levels of contamination, resulting in many of the wells having inadequate drinking conditions. Sample collected from a drain directly beneath the plant, contained free mercury at over 12% of the overall weight of the sample (between 20000 and 6 million times higher than might be expected as background). The toxic organochlorines hexachloroethane and hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) were also found. In the case of carbon tetrachloride, concentrations were found more than 1700 times above the WHO limit for drinking water.⁵
Reproductive Health
oN
BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA
Some pesticides used in Brazil are more toxic than those permitted by the European Union, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), contributing to increased vulnerability to chronic diseases such as cancer, endocrine, reproductive and neurological dysfunctions (Carneiro et al., 2015).⁶
Hess and Nodari (2022) assessed the situation of pesticides permission in Brazil and pointed out that of the total volume in tons of pesticides, 67% are known to be toxic to reproduction, hormonal functions or carcinogenic according to the EU, USEPA and IARC.⁷
Reproductive health is part of a set of eco-bio-social connections that can be affected by pesticides. In this sense, it is worth highlighting the impairment of male and female fertility, leading to infertility; gestational disorders; abortions, congenital malformations; problems in fetal development; contamination of breast milk and umbilical cord blood; increased fetal and neonatal mortality; subsequent problems for child health. (Abrasco, 2024).⁸
Endemic disease control workers who have suffered chemical exposure to pesticides complain of changes in their sexual and reproductive health. Cases of endocrine system dysregulation, altered hormone levels, impotence, infertility, miscarriage, premature death and even reports of children with Down's Syndrome (DS) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with both cases (DS with ASD) occurring in the same child. A couple who worked handling Temefós/Abate®, an organophosphate larvicide, had a child who was born with deformities and various health problems that had to be hospitalized for a few days, being kept alive by machines. The child soon died.⁹
RIO GRANDE DO SUL/BRAZIL
A PhD study in Public Health and Environment at ENSP/FIOCRUZ, municipality of Farroupilha, Rio Grande do Sul, observed that most pesticides have the capacity to deregulate the human endocrine system, altering levels of sex hormones and causing adverse effects, especially on the reproductive system. Breast and ovarian cancer, menstrual cycle deregulation, testicular and prostate cancer, infertility, decline in seminal quality and malformation of reproductive organs are some examples of these complications.
In the first stage of the study, the research investigated adults of both sexes, rural workers and their families, aged between 18 and 69. In the second stage, young rural and urban dwellers aged between 18 and 23 took part.
The results of the first stage indicated that men who had worked for more than 25 years in agriculture and had greater contact with pesticides showed a 14% increase in testosterone concentration and a 20% reduction in luteinizing hormone (LH).
In the second stage, changes in sex hormone levels were associated with pregnancy and birth characteristics, higher levels of exposure to pesticides and place of residence. As for sperm parameters, motility was significantly lower in rural youngsters than in urban ones, in those who reported high self-reported contact with pesticides and in those who used fungicides at the time of sample collection.¹⁰
ARGENTINA/SOUTH AMERICA
Argentina has often been cited as one of the countries that uses the most pesticides per capita in the world. Around 200 million L of glyphosate are applied every year in Argentina, making it the most commonly used herbicide in the country, especially due to the agricultural production model based on genetic modified soy monoculture.¹¹
A study investigated the presence of pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables produced nationally in Argentina in order to assess the current state of the market. A total of 135 of the most consumed fruits and vegetables were analyzed for the presence of 35 pesticides. Pesticides were detected in 65% of the total samples, 56% above the maximum recommended limits (MRLs). Five pesticides were detected at frequencies above 10%, the highest being chlorpyrifos in 25.9% of the total samples. Small producers report dependence on these herbicides and increased debts due to the high cost of seeds and herbicides.¹²
KENYA/AFRICA
A retrospective study of poisoned patients admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital between January 2002 and June 2003 shows that the most common type of poisoning was by pesticides (43%). Organophosphates, mostly diazinon, and rodenticides were the two most common pesticides.¹³
Children are at high risk as only 15% of farmers store pesticides away from them, and less than 1 out of 6 farmers wear protective gear when applying chemicals.¹⁴
HHPs
HHPs (Highly Hazardous Pesticides) according to the PAN International (Pesticide Action Network) classification are identified on the basis of multiple criteria related to toxicity to human health and the environment.
PAN International proposed a consolidated definition of HHPs in 2009 (last updated in 2021), which combines criteria from different international agencies, such as World Health Organization (WHO), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), European Union Regulation (EU) and GHS Japan.
Name | Description | Associated Diseases | Where it is Prohibited |
|---|---|---|---|
Thiamethoxam | Neonicotinoid insecticide toxic to pollinators, used on soybeans and corn. | Indirect health risk due to loss of biodiversity and environmental contamination. | Banned in open fields in the EU since 2018; restrictions in France, Germany, Italy. |
Endossulfano | Organochlorine insecticide banned in several countries due to high toxicity. | Neurological disorders, endocrine and reproductive effects, cancer. | Banned in more than 80 countries, including Brazil and the European Union. |
Methamidophos | Systemic insecticide used on cotton, tomatoes and other crops. | Neurotoxicity, nausea, muscle weakness, risk to fertility. | Banned in the European Union and in countries in Asia and Latin America. |
Carbofuran | Carbamate insecticide for agricultural use with high toxicity to birds. | Neurotoxicity, effects on the immune system and liver. | Banned in the European Union, Canada, and several African countries. |
Lindane | Persistent organochlorine insecticide, used in the past against lice and fleas. | Cancer, neurotoxic, immunological and reproductive effects. | Banned in the European Union, USA, Brazil, and listed as a POP by the UN. |
Chlorpyrifos | Organophosphate insecticide widely used in crops and fruits. | Cognitive impairment in children, neurological and respiratory problems. | European Union, USA, Canada; banned in Brazil since 2020. |
Paraquate | Non-selective, highly toxic herbicide used to control weeds. | Pulmonary fibrosis, acute respiratory failure, death by accidental ingestion. | European Union, China, Switzerland, several African countries. |
Glyphosate | Systemic herbicide widely used in transgenic crops. | Possible carcinogen, hormonal, liver and kidney disorders. | Banned or restricted in Luxembourg, Austria, France (transition), Germany (partial use). |
“The rising pesticide market generates approximately 60 billion dollars annually, even though, every year, 1 million people worldwide are unintentionally poisoned through contact with these substances (...) and it impacts the planet and society unevenly: nations in the Global South are the most affected, and within them, children, women, indigenous people, peasants and rural workers suffer the most.”
“(...) The United States, Europe, and, more recently, China are at the top of the ranking of the largest producers and exporters of pesticides.
Export and import map
“(...) Syngenta, a Swiss company acquired by ChemChina in 2017, emerged as the largest exporter of pesticides during the period (2017 to 2020), rising from 9 billion dollars in 2017 to over 11 billion dollars in 2020. Following it are the German companies Bayer and BASF, and the American company Corteva, which in 2020 generated, respectively, 10 billion, 7 billion, and 6 billion dollars in exports. These four companies, along with the Indian company UP and the American FMC, account for approximately 80% of the total value of pesticide sales worldwide and together marketed over 43 billion dollars of these products in 2020.”
Brazil, Argentina, the United States, and China are the largest consumers of pesticides produced and sold by companies from the Global North.
SOURCE: Bombardi, Larissa Mies. Agrotóxicos e colonialismo químico. São Paulo: Elefante, 2023
MAPS BELOW: Valdeir Soares Cavalcante Gonçalves
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Read the Brussels Declaration
Towards a Global Pesticides Framework to Eliminate Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) 1. Context Hazardous pesticides are deeply embedded in industrial agriculture, with devastating impacts on human health and the environment. However, effective global standards to mitigate their harmful effects are lacking. While countries in the Global North enforce strict regional bans to address health and environmental risks within their territories, the Global South bears a disproportionate burden of exposure to these toxic substances, perpetuating inequalities rooted in colonial practices. The industrialization of agriculture during the so-called "Green Revolution" failed to deliver on its promise of eradicating hunger. Instead, pesticide sales soared, while global hunger remains a persistent problem, affecting approximately 10% of the population in 2020. The pesticide industry, valued at US$60 billion in 2020, causes serious environmental and health damage. The UN estimates that pesticide exposure results in 200,000 deaths from acute poisoning every year. Yet, current international frameworks—such as the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions—fail to adequately address the health and environmental impacts of pesticides. Exporting countries often disclaim responsibility, shifting the risks to importing nations, which suffer the health and environmental consequences due to weaker regulations and limited enforcement capacity. In response to this critical issue, a coalition of academic institutions, civil society organizations, and governments from the Global South came together in early 2022 to establish an international alliance to create global standards for pesticides. Among its goals is the elimination of substances that are highly toxic to human health and the environment, known as Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs). This coalition, called the International Pesticide Standard Alliance (IPSA), was officially launched during the UN Water Conference in March 2023 in New York. On that occasion, the New York Declaration was published, summarizing the IPSA's proposals. In May 2024, at the World Water Forum in Indonesia, IPSA launched the bilingual book *Impacts of Pesticides Use and International Regulation*, bringing together contributions from experts, legal experts, and scientists. On June 27, 2024, during its first International Conference, held at the Brazilian National Congress, IPSA brought together global leaders from academia, law, and politics to discuss challenges, opportunities, and pathways toward establishing an international standard on pesticides. Continuing this process, IPSA, in collaboration with the International Center for Water and Transdisciplinarity (CIRAT), the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), the Public Prosecutor's Office for Labor (MPT), and the Green Party in the European Parliament, with the support of more than 30 institutions from five continents, organized the second conference entitled “Towards an International Regulatory Framework for Pesticides,” on December 12 and 13, 2024. Held at the European Parliament and the Office of the European Anti-Poverty Network, the conference advanced political commitments and frameworks aimed at creating international standards on pesticides. This document, the Brussels Declaration, summarizes the proposals and recommendations presented by the conference's keynote speakers, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxic Substances and Human Rights, Dr. Marco Orellana, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Water and Sanitation, Dr. Pedro Arrojo, as well as several parliamentarians, legal experts, and academics from around the world. The main outcome of the Brussels Conference was the recognition and alignment of global institutions and leaders regarding the urgent need for coordinated and integrated efforts. This includes creating synergies between ongoing initiatives and strengthening collaboration through a unified timeline. 2. Main Recommendations The creation of an equitable and decolonial international framework is urgently needed. Recommendations include: a. Global elimination of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs); b. Adoption of uniform, science-based minimum standards for residues in food and water; c. Global ban on aerial spraying of pesticides; d. Reduction and progressive elimination of the use of pesticides. 3. An International Treaty on Pesticides Participants at the Second Conference "Towards an International Framework for Pesticides," held in Brussels, highlighted the urgent need for a binding treaty on pesticides, with the global elimination of HHPs as the first step. Many civil society organizations and scientists present have already been actively working toward this goal. 3.1. Justification The UN states that "chronic exposure to pesticides has been linked to cancer, diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, hormonal disorders, developmental disorders, and infertility. Farmers, rural workers, communities near plantations, indigenous peoples, pregnant women, and children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure and require special protection." Furthermore, agricultural pesticides significantly pollute the local environment and water resources. Eliminating HHPs is the first and most urgent step to protecting public health, preserving the environment, and achieving global equity. The concept of "chemical colonialism" highlights the exploitation of countries in the Global South, where pesticides banned for being highly toxic in their countries of origin are exported, perpetuating dependence and environmental injustice. This reinforces the need for a transition to sustainable agricultural practices that ensure food sovereignty and environmental health, and address the systemic inequalities maintained by the current model. 3.2. The Need for Global Action An international treaty is needed to harmonize high safety standards, support the transition to sustainable practices, and hold corporations accountable for the health and environmental impacts of their products. The work of civil society and scientists—including the efforts of the Pesticides Action Network (PAN) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)—reinforces the urgency of coordinated action to phase out HHPs and reduce dependence on pesticides. Regional experiences, such as those of the European Union, demonstrate that bans, restrictions, and other control measures can significantly reduce pesticide use. 4. Conclusion The elimination of HHPs is essential to protect fundamental human rights, including the right to life, health, food, water, and a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. A global treaty represents a crucial step toward achieving environmental justice and promoting the decolonization of agriculture. This collective commitment will enable nations to move toward equitable and truly sustainable development, ensuring public health, ecological resilience, food security, and a sustainable future for generations to come.
A NEW
Future
Now we arrive at the final gallery, which points to the future—a future connected to health, justice, and deep roots in the earth. Here, we see that it is already possible to feed the world without pesticides. Examples highlight the production of healthy food, the revival of traditional seeds, Indigenous techniques, fair relationships with the land, and the leadership of women in agriculture. These show that the agriculture of the future can be grounded in workers’ rights, social justice, and nature’s preservation. This future already exists in the present, flourishing where life is cultivated with respect—for us and for generations to come.
MST
BRAZIL
The Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST - Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra) is one of the largest grassroots organizations in Latin America, playing a pivotal role in the struggle for agrarian justice, the promotion of agroecology, and the creation of solidarity and resistance networks. Beyond denouncing the structural inequalities of rural areas, the movement fosters tangible experiences of social and environmental transformation.
In Rio Grande do Sul, the MST is recognized as the largest producer of organic rice in Latin America, a position it has held for over a decade, according to the Rio Grande do Sul Rice Institute (Irga). In the 2021/2022 season, thousands of peasant families harvested 15,500 tons of rice—approximately 310,000 50-kg sacks — across more than 3,100 hectares.
This production is managed by nine cooperatives of settled families, resulting from the struggle for Popular Agrarian Reform. The MST’s agroecological rice symbolizes the strength of peasant agriculture and demonstrates that it is possible to produce healthy, pesticide-free food on a large scale, committed to life and social justice.¹
PHOTOS BY JOKA MADRUGA AND JÚLIA DOLCE
Navdanya
INDIA
Navdanya, founded in 1984 by Indian ecofeminist philosopher and activist Vandana Shiva, is one of Asia’s most significant movements advocating for food sovereignty and the preservation of native seeds. Established in response to the expansion of industrial agriculture, the movement promotes a transition to pesticide-free agroecological systems grounded in productive diversity and equitable relationships with the land.
Its work focuses on the rescue and conservation of seeds, with over 150 community seed banks across 22 Indian states, uniting a network of 650,000 farming families. Navdanya has trained approximately 500,000 farmers in agroecological practices and preserves remarkable biodiversity: 3,000 rice varieties, alongside hundreds of wheat, millet, legume, and vegetable species.
The movement’s philosophy, Earth Democracy, recognizes the interdependence of humans, nature, and all forms of life. This principle guides the Navdanya Farm, established in 1994 in the Doon Valley of the Himalayas, now a benchmark for seed conservation, agroecological farming, and sustainability education.
Beyond preserving biodiversity, Navdanya asserts that regenerative agriculture can nourish the world, address climate change, and protect health without eroding the cultural and culinary traditions that sustain life.²
Te Waka Kai Ora
NEW ZEALAND
Te Waka Kai Ora is the national Māori authority for organic food in Aotearoa (New Zealand), responsible for guiding Hua Parakore, the world’s first Indigenous framework for verifying pure foods. This system integrates Māori values such as mātauranga (ancestral knowledge), tikanga (cultural practices), and te reo Māori, ensuring sustainable, equitable foods and products rooted in ancestral wisdom.
The certification extends beyond food to include products like lanolin, medicinal plants, traditional oils, fibers, and crafts derived from the land, always committed to purity and respect for the Māori worldview.
More than a label, Hua Parakore is a practice of food decolonization and strengthening Māori food sovereignty. It provides a unique pathway for local producers, urban communities, and also for Indigenous peoples in other regions — such as Hawaii — who have adopted this model, fostering international networks of collaboration and resistance.
The system’s impact reaches public policy and educational curricula, as seen in Wellington’s food strategy (New Zealand's capital), Te Anamata – Our City Our Future, which incorporates Hua Parakore principles into sustainable urban and territorial planning. Hua Parakore also serves as a korowai, or protective cloak, encompassing conventional organic certifications, enhancing their application to regenerative agriculture, and highlighting Indigenous distinctiveness in food production.³
Songhai Center
REPUBLIC OF BENIN
The Songhai Center, founded in 1985 in Porto-Novo by a Catholic priest Brother Godfrey Nzamujo, is one of Africa’s leading agroecology references. Its integrated model combines traditional West African peasant knowledge — such as crop intercropping, organic fertilization, and seed management — with innovations like biogas biodigesters, integrated fish farming, composting/aquaponics, and solar drying.
Everything operates under the “zero waste” principle, inspired by the Zero Emission Research Initiative (ZERI), ensuring circularity and sustainability at every stage. Beyond farming, the center promotes “green rural towns,” self-sustaining rural villages that integrate production, energy, education, and quality of life.
Recognized by the UN as a Regional Center of Excellence, the Songhai model has been replicated in over 15 African countries, including Benin, Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Today, Songhai is a platform for autonomy and food sovereignty, training young entrepreneurs, strengthening local communities, and demonstrating that the future of agriculture can be ecological, equitable, and capable of keeping youth in rural areas.⁴
Sarvodaya Shramadana
SRI LANKA
The Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement is Sri Lanka’s largest non-governmental organization for community development. This holistic development initiative, rooted in grassroots participation, self-reliance, and sustainability, has reached over 15,000 underserved communities across Sri Lanka.
The Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, officially known as Lanka Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya (Inc.), comprises a network of legally independent units addressing specific development activities and village-level Sarvodaya Shramadana Societies (SSSs). Each SSS includes child members (ages 7–14), youth members (ages 14–25), regular members (over 25), lifetime members, and invited members. From this group, a 25-member executive council is formed, consisting of 18 executive members and 7 elders.
Grounded in Buddhism, rich Asian philosophies, and Gandhian values, the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement has, over the past six decades, proven to be an effective Eastern approach to addressing a wide range of development challenges faced by diverse Sri Lankan communities. According to the movement, its development approach holistically integrates the “six dimensions of awakening”—spiritual, moral, cultural, social, economic, and political expansion.⁵
Red de Huertas Comunitarias Agroecológicas
LATIN AMERICA
The Agroecological Community Gardens Network (in Spanish Red de Huertas Comunitárias Agroecológicas) connects experiences across Latin American countries — such as Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia — uniting urban and rural gardens that cultivate autonomy and food sovereignty. In these spaces, women lead the cultivation, acting as guardians of native seeds and transmitters of ancestral knowledge, while strengthening community organization and local biodiversity.
A concrete example: in the Wayúu Indigenous zone of Río Negro, Wayúu women maintain a community garden that produces corn, tomatoes, beans, and other crops, ensuring food, income, and support amid socioeconomic crises and gender-based violence. Another inspiring case comes from Lima, with the Biohuerto Ayllu 21, an urban garden established in 2018 by women in the outskirts of Villa El Salvador, transforming a 1,400 m² abandoned plot into a hub of agroecological production and community revitalization.
These spaces do more than produce food — they serve as environments for environmental education, knowledge exchange, and mutual support, transforming plots, squares, and backyards into centers of social and ecological reconstruction. They demonstrate that the agroecological future is sown from within, driven by women’s strength and deep community roots.⁶
Anamuri
chile
ANAMURI (National Association of Rural and Indigenous Women of Chile - Asociación Nacional de Mujeres Rurales e Indígenas de Chile) is an autonomous civil organization, composed entirely of women, founded in 1998 in Buin. Its mission is to strengthen the leadership of rural and Indigenous women, fostering equitable relationships across gender, ethnicity, and class, while promoting food sovereignty from within communities.
The association stands out for creating networks of feminist agroecology and initiatives like the National Agroecology School “Sembradoras de Esperanza” (Sowers of Hope), which, since 2015, has trained women in agroecological practices with a feminist perspective. This school is linked to the Institute of Agroecology for Rural Women (IALA - Instituto de agroecología de las mujeres del campo), designed as a permanent space for training and collaboration.
Beyond education, ANAMURI also engages in political advocacy: in 2022, it presented a proposal to the Chilean Constitutional Assembly to enshrine the Right to Food as a fundamental right, linking agroecology, feminism, and social justice, and mobilizing broad public support.⁷
Indigenous Agroforests
BRAZIL
Brazil’s Indigenous peoples are pioneers in agroforestry, a productive system that integrates agricultural crops with trees and forest species, ensuring ecological balance and diversity. Long before agroforestry was recognized as an agroecological model, peoples such as the Krahô (Tocantins), Ashaninka (Acre), and Kayapó (Pará) were cultivating their plots in consortia that nourish communities, preserve biodiversity, and strengthen standing forests.
Agroforests function as cultivated forests: cassava, corn, sweet potatoes, and beans grow alongside fruits, nuts, and timber trees, creating long-term productive areas that regenerate soil, maintain moisture, protect water cycles, and ensure harvests at different times of the year. The diversity of species promotes nutrient cycling and makes the system more resilient to pests, droughts, and climate change.
More than agricultural techniques, these systems are expressions of Indigenous worldviews, where the land is not a commodity but a territory of life and reciprocity. They unite food production, environmental preservation, and cultural strengthening.
Today, these knowledge systems inspire agroecological practices worldwide, demonstrating that the future of agriculture can be rooted in ancestral practices. Indigenous agroforests prove that it is possible to produce in harmony with nature, offering ecologically resilient alternatives to monoculture-based and pesticide-dependent agriculture.⁸
PHOTO BY LEILANE MARINHO
Credits
CURATOR
Tadeu de Brito
RESEARCH
Júlia Rodrigues Arcoverde Fechine
RESEARCH REVIEW
Bruna Cesca Capelete
GRAPHIC AND WEB DESIGNER
João Faissal
TRANSLATION
Bruna Cesca Capelete
ADMINISTRATION
José Ifran
SPECIAL THANKS
Lena Luig, Fern Holland, Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action (HAPA), Christine Gatwiri, Harun Warui, Eric Mugendi (Africa Uncensored), Sarah Schneider, Major Venâncio, CELS - Center for Legal and Social Studies, Wagner Soares, Cirila Targhetta, Débora Calheiros, Gisela Moreau, Arnaud Apoteker, Sandra Kishi, Marcelo Montenegro, Pedro Luiz Serafim, Pedro Ivo, Roberto Carlos Batista, Thalita Verônica
IPSA
SCIENTIFIC CURATOR
Larissa Bombardi
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Sergio Ribeiro
EXECUTIVE ADVISOR
José Grossi
COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR
Wagner Soares
JOURNALIST
Camila Grinsztejn
CIRAT
Executive Board
GENERAL DIRECTOR
Sergio Augusto Ribeiro
DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Henk van Schaik
SCIENTIFIC AND ACADEMIC DIRECTOR
Carmen Regina Mendes de Araújo Correia
DIRECTOR OF CULTURE
Tadeu de Brito Melo
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