Global farmers protest 'chemical colonisation' by agrochemical firms

Farmers and activists worldwide are mobilizing Saturday for an international day of action against pesticides, denouncing agrochemical companies for selling products they say harm health and livelihoods, which they term "chemical colonisation." French activist Fleur Breteau of Cancer Colère says pesticides manufactured in France are exported to the Global South containing molecules banned domestically, breaching regulations and human rights laws. Groups from Pakistan, Argentina, and Kenya have joined, citing health concerns and corporate exploitation. In Argentina, activists report finding agrochemicals like atrazine in soil, water, and human blood, with a study showing young people in exposed villages are 2.5 times more likely to develop cancer. Protests are planned in France, Costa Rica, the US, and elsewhere, targeting companies like Syngenta, Bayer, and BASF.