Sugarcane is the world’s biggest agricultural crop by volume, with 17.5 billion tonnes produced every year. But the globe’s sugar craving comes at a deadly price for workers in Central America who are facing an epidemic of chronic kidney disease. Kidney failure has claimed the lives of at least 20,000 cutters over the past two decades – many become seriously ill before they reach 40, some even die in their twenties. But new research sponsored by advocacy groups La Isla Foundation and Solidaridad has pinpointed the cause – a combination of repeated dehydration, heat exposure and physical stress. They are pushing for simple solutions: water, rest and shade for workers, along with new techniques for cutting and harvesting.
New Internationalist Editorial
