Are pesticides stealing farmers’ memories? Alarming signs emerge from West Bengal’s fields
Times of India | 10 January 2026
Is the chemical shield protecting crops quietly damaging the minds of those who grow them? Farmers in West Bengal have been using pesticides to protect their crops after sun up.
Pesticides are viewed as an important agricultural tool because of their ability to help protect crops, provide food for the population, and support farmers economically.
However, farmers and agricultural scientists alike are starting to ask the question—Has the long-term use of these chemicals on a daily basis contributed to the decline in farmers' cognitive function (i.e., memory, decision making), lead to depression, and still go unrecognized and untreated?
The results of a recent study have raised a serious alarm about the neurological and psychological effects pesticides have on farm workers, as well as highlight a significant public health crisis developing in rural India, beyond just physical health, but equally important, cognitive, emotional wellbeing and quality of life.
Silent damage in the fields
The study focused on farming communities in one of West Bengal’s most agriculturally active districts, where pesticide use has been widespread for decades. Researchers examined adults aged 50 years and above who had lived and worked in the area for several years, many of whom had spent most of their lives engaged exclusively in agriculture.
Participants underwent standardised screening tests to assess memory, attention, thinking ability and symptoms of depression. These assessments were paired with detailed interviews that documented farming practices, frequency of pesticide use, duration of exposure and long-term occupational history.
What emerged was a troubling picture. A significant proportion of farmers showed signs of memory impairment, difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking and depressive symptoms. These issues were far more common among those who handled pesticides regularly over long periods than among individuals with limited exposure.
Why West Bengal is at the centre of the concern
West Bengal is one of India’s most agriculturally intensive states, with a large proportion of its population dependent on farming for livelihood. From paddy fields and vegetable farms to jute and cash crops, pesticide use has become deeply embedded in everyday agricultural practice across districts such as Burdwan, Nadia, Murshidabad and Hooghly.
Small and marginal farmers dominate the state’s agricultural landscape, often working long hours in close contact with chemical sprays. In many cases, pesticides are applied manually, with limited access to mechanised equipment or safety training. Protective gear such as masks, gloves or coveralls is rarely used, particularly during peak farming seasons when speed and cost take priority over safety.
Health experts note that West Bengal’s humid climate and year-round cropping cycles further increase exposure risk, as farmers spray pesticides frequently to protect crops from pests, fungal infections and weeds. Over decades, this repeated exposure may quietly accumulate, affecting neurological health without drawing immediate attention.
Signals too strong to ignore
As researchers analysed the data, a clear and disturbing pattern emerged—one that pointed to a strong association between chronic pesticide exposure and declining mental health.
More than one-fifth of the farmers screened showed signs of cognitive decline, depression, or both. Farmers with long-term and frequent exposure to pesticides were nearly three times more likely to experience neurological and psychological problems compared to those who used these chemicals occasionally or infrequently.
The risk was particularly high among farmers who reported spraying pesticides on a weekly basis over many years. Those engaged exclusively in agriculture also reported greater difficulty managing daily activities, increased forgetfulness and higher levels of emotional distress.
Researchers noted that many affected individuals were still actively working in the fields, even as symptoms interfered with decision-making, routine tasks and social interactions—suggesting that the problem often remains unrecognised until it becomes severe.
How chemicals cross the line into the human brain
Pesticides are engineered to disrupt the nervous systems of insects. However, medical research increasingly shows that prolonged exposure to these chemicals can also interfere with the human nervous system.
Over time, this damage can manifest as memory loss, slowed cognitive processing, impaired judgment, emotional instability and depression. Because these changes occur gradually, they are often mistaken for normal ageing rather than recognised as occupational health conditions linked to chemical exposure.
“This slow progression makes pesticide-related neurological damage especially dangerous,” experts warn. “By the time symptoms become obvious, significant harm may already have occurred.”
When everyday life becomes a struggle
Beyond statistics and study results lies the human cost of long-term exposure.
Many farmers reported forgetting routine tasks, misplacing tools and struggling to remember conversations or instructions. Some described difficulty managing household finances or planning daily work—responsibilities they had previously handled without effort.
Emotional suffering was equally evident. Farmers spoke of losing interest in work, withdrawing from social interactions and experiencing persistent sadness, fatigue and irritability. Several reported feelings of hopelessness and emotional numbness that strained family relationships.
Mental health professionals caution that such symptoms often go untreated in rural areas due to stigma, lack of awareness and limited access to healthcare. As a result, farmers continue working under hazardous conditions while their mental health quietly deteriorates.
A problem far bigger than one state
While the study focused on West Bengal, experts stress that the issue is unlikely to be confined to a single region.
Across India, pesticide use remains widespread and often poorly regulated at the ground level. Millions of farmers handle chemical pesticides daily, frequently without adequate training or protective equipment.
In many villages:
Why the warning signs go unnoticed
Despite growing scientific evidence, awareness of the long-term mental health effects of pesticides remains low. Most farmers associate pesticide exposure only with immediate symptoms such as dizziness, nausea or headaches—not with memory loss or depression that may emerge years later.
Public health experts argue that the lack of routine health screening and mental health services in rural areas allows these problems to remain invisible.
“When symptoms develop gradually, they are dismissed as ageing or stress,” experts say, “rather than recognised as preventable occupational health risks.”
Economic pressure and chemical dependence
The mental health burden faced by farmers is further compounded by financial insecurity, climate uncertainty and rising input costs. Many farmers feel they have little choice but to rely heavily on pesticides to protect crops from pests and disease.
This creates a vicious cycle: Increased pesticide use leads to greater exposure, which affects mental health, productivity and decision-making—further threatening livelihoods and deepening dependence on chemical inputs.
Experts warn that without intervention, this cycle could intensify as agriculture becomes increasingly chemical-dependent.
What must change on the ground
Researchers and public health specialists stress that urgent action is needed to protect farmers from long-term neurological harm.
Awareness and education: Farmers must be informed about the long-term cognitive and mental health risks of pesticide exposure, not just short-term poisoning.
Safer farming practices: Reducing reliance on highly toxic chemicals and promoting integrated pest management can lower exposure.
Protective measures: Regular use of masks, gloves and protective clothing can significantly reduce risk.
Health monitoring: Routine cognitive and mental health screening—especially for older farmers can help detect problems early.
Mental health support: Expanding access to counselling and psychiatric services in rural areas is critical.
A cost agriculture can no longer ignore
The findings serve as a stark reminder that the cost of modern, chemical-intensive farming may extend far beyond crop yields and economic output.
As India focuses on food security and agricultural productivity, the mental well-being of farmers must not be overlooked. If pesticides continue to be used without adequate safeguards, experts warn that memory loss and depression could become an unrecognised occupational hazard—silently affecting those who feed the nation.