Farmers Affected By Pesticides Lose Court Case

Nicaraguan farm workers who say they were sickened or sterilized after exposure to the pesticide Nemagon on banana plantations saw their legal case dismissed by a Paris court in February 2026. The farmers' lawyer said the court rejected the claim on the grounds that the damages sought were disproportionate, a decision the plaintiffs plan to challenge before France’s highest court.

Thousands of workers in the Chinandega region of Nicaragua were exposed to Nemagon—a commercial pesticide containing dibromochloropropane (DBCP)—from the 1960s through the 1980s. Many later developed infertility, chronic kidney disease, skin disorders, and cancers. Although the pesticide was banned in the United States in 1977 after being linked to male sterility, it continued to be exported and used abroad for years. In 2006, Nicaraguan courts ordered Shell, Dow Chemical, and Occidental Chemical to pay $805 million in damages, but efforts to enforce that ruling in U.S. courts have failed.

Researchers who have interviewed affected workers describe decades of physical suffering compounded by emotional exhaustion from a prolonged fight for recognition and compensation. Many victims have died while awaiting justice. Advocates also point to weak public institutions in Nicaragua and a lack of government support for those harmed.

While Nemagon is no longer used, campaigners warn that Europe continues to export other hazardous pesticides banned within the EU to countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. An investigation in 2025 found that EU exports of prohibited pesticides have expanded, despite earlier pledges to end the practice. Critics argue this creates unequal protections between European populations and communities in the Global South.

In countries such as Costa Rica, residues of previously exported chemicals have lingered in soil and drinking water years after local bans. Researchers note that tropical monoculture farming systems intensify pest pressures, reinforcing dependence on chemical inputs. Global pesticide use has doubled since 1990, and studies estimate that roughly two-thirds of agricultural land faces contamination risks.

Experts say farmers need financial and policy support to transition toward agroecological approaches, including crop rotation and biodiversity-based pest control. They argue that regulatory standards should be consistent worldwide, since the health risks of toxic exposure are not limited by borders.