Agrochemicals in large scale sugarcane production

"Agrotóxicos en el Cultivo de la Caña de Azúcar y Sus Impactos en la Salud Humana: Causas y Orígenes de la Nefropatía Mesoamericana en Guatemala" by Katja Winkler / Photo: ©Katja Winkler

This in-depth working paper from IDEAR-CONGCOOP (circa 2018) investigates the escalating use of agrochemicals (pesticides and herbicides) in Guatemala's expansive sugar cane monocultures—the world's third-largest producer—and their direct links to chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes (CKDnT), known as Mesoamerican Nephropathy. Drawing on interviews with affected workers, medical personnel, and officials (2017–2018), alongside extensive documentary review, Winkler exposes how industrial practices exacerbate public health crises, labor violations, and environmental harm amid weak regulations and corporate lobbying.

Core Arguments and Findings

• Agrarian Context and Labor Precarization: Guatemala's sugar cane sector has tripled production since the 2008 crisis, driving land grabs for agro-exports like biofuels and bioplastics. This has displaced small farmers, diversified rural incomes (heavily reliant on remittances), and worsened labor conditions—long hours without protection, union suppression, and rights abuses echoing historical violations in the industry.

• CKDnT as Epidemic Health Crisis: The paper details the surge in non-traditional chronic kidney diseases, affecting agricultural workers (mostly men, but increasingly women) in hot, low-altitude regions. Prevalence has reached epidemic levels, with estimates of thousands of deaths; causes include dehydration, but Winkler emphasizes continuous exposure to agrotoxics without protective gear, leading to symptoms like deteriorated reflexes and renal failure.

• Agrotoxics and Corporate Influence: Focuses on key pesticides like glyphosate (in Monsanto's Roundup) and 2,4-D (DowDuPont's Agent Orange component), banned or restricted elsewhere but imported in rising volumes to Central America (e.g., Guatemala's imports tripled from 1994–2017). Aerial spraying contaminates communities, rivers, and air; studies link these to kidney damage, cancer risks, and ozone depletion, yet corporate lobbying (e.g., over $34 million by Dow) downplays health impacts and blocks international regulations like the Rotterdam Convention.

• Regulations and Gaps: Critiques inadequate international (e.g., Montreal Protocol, Basel Convention) and national frameworks in Guatemala, which lack enforcement on pesticide limits or worker protections. Calls for blacklists, independent monitoring, and human-rights-based reforms to prioritize health over profits.

• Analysis and Recommendations: While acknowledging multifactorial causes, Winkler argues for a causal link between agrotoxics and CKDnT, urging independent research, better labor conditions, reduced pesticide use, and accountability for agro giants. Concludes that these chemicals do not boost food security but endanger workers and ecosystems.

Why It's Key

Amid ongoing debates on "multifactorial" vs. pesticide-driven causes of CKDnT, this paper stands out for its activist lens, tying health data to socio-economic critiques and real testimonies. Prepared for a 2017 CIDH hearing on agroindustry abuses in Central America, it amplifies calls for justice in a region plagued by exploitation. Though from 2018, its warnings resonate with current climate and health challenges in Latin American agriculture. For full text, reference pages 1–57.