Of Rights and Poisons: Accountability of the Agrochemical Industry

The influence and reach of agrochemical transnational corporations (TNCs) have dramatically increased over the past few decades, leading to widespread adoption of input-intensive, chemical-based farming systems promoted by governments and the food industry.

The use of highly hazardous pesticides has negatively impacted human health, local ecosystems, and the global environment, yet accountability for these chemicals remains largely unaddressed. As highlighted by UN Special Rapporteurs Hilal Elver and Baskut Tuncak, the pesticide industry has obstructed reforms and hindered global restrictions on pesticide use.

Additionally, major agrochemical companies are consolidating through mergers and buyouts, with the Big Six (Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer, Dow, DuPont, and BASF) controlling a significant majority of the global agrochemical market. Recent mergers have further reduced this number to the Big Four, which now dominate over 70% of the pesticide market, raising concerns about the concentration of power in the industry.