Annual global deaths attributed to agricultural air pollution surpass 500,000, with 68,000 occurring in India specifically, according to a World Health Organization report.
In a groundbreaking report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 17, 2025, the organisation highlighted the significant impact that agricultural practices have on air pollution and human health. The report, titled "Agriculture - Sectoral Solutions for Air Pollution and Health: Technical Brief (2025)", underscores the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices to combat this growing concern.
Agricultural air pollution, primarily from nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, ammonia, and fine particulate matter, has been identified as a major contributor to air pollution and climate change. These pollutants are responsible for tens of thousands of premature deaths each year, with food production alone accounting for nearly 16,000 annual air quality-related deaths in the United States. In India alone, stubble burning is linked to an estimated 68,000 premature deaths every year.
Moreover, exposure to air pollution from agricultural sources has been linked to a wide range of health problems, including acute respiratory infections, eye irritation, stress, and even mood alterations. Ammonia emissions from manure and synthetic fertilizers can form fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
However, changing agricultural practices to reduce emissions of ammonia, methane, and fine particulate matter can have significant benefits for human health, crop yields, and air quality. Here are some strategies and their potential benefits:
1. Improved Livestock Waste Management and Feeding Practices: Implementing methane-inhibiting feed additives, such as 3-NOP and red seaweed, can reduce enteric methane emissions by 30% to 90%. Techniques like anaerobic digestion can also mitigate methane release from manure.
2. Sustainable Fertilizer Use: Promoting the use of organic fertilizers and improving nutrient use efficiency can reduce ammonia emissions from synthetic fertilizers. Efficient fertilizer application methods also reduce nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas and air pollutant.
3. Crop Residue Management: Incorporating crop residues into the soil rather than burning them can reduce particulate matter emissions and improve soil health.
4. Regenerative Agriculture: Practices like no-till farming and cover cropping enhance soil structure, reduce erosion, and increase carbon sequestration, contributing to better air quality by reducing particulate matter suspended in the air.
5. Climate-Resilient Systems: Adopting drought-resistant or heat-tolerant crop varieties can improve resilience to climate change, potentially reducing the need for intensive farming practices that contribute to emissions.
By adopting these practices, agriculture can contribute significantly to cleaner air, enhancing both local and global air quality. Lowering methane and ground-level ozone levels can increase crop productivity, as these pollutants can damage crops and reduce yields. Reducing air pollutants like particulate matter and ammonia improves air quality, which is crucial for reducing respiratory diseases and cardiovascular issues.
Moreover, reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions helps combat global warming, given their high global warming potential compared to CO₂. In the U.S., air quality improvements since 1999 have contributed to about 20% of overall crop yield gains.
International efforts are growing, with WHO and FAO developing global assessments on nitrous oxide and methane emissions from agrifood systems. In São Paulo, Brazil, legislation combined with private sector action has nearly eliminated the pre-harvest burning of sugarcane, reducing pollution and improving public health.
Experts emphasize that agricultural air pollution is not just a rural issue, it has far-reaching effects on urban populations, food systems, and economies. The promotion of plant-based diets could reduce agricultural emissions and prevent up to 83% of related deaths in the United States. A 50% cut in agricultural emissions could prevent over 200,000 deaths annually worldwide.
In conclusion, adopting sustainable agricultural practices can lead to improved air quality, enhanced human health, and increased crop yields, while contributing to global efforts to mitigate climate change. The report serves as a call to action for policymakers, farmers, and consumers to prioritize sustainable agricultural practices for a healthier future.
- The significant impact of agricultural practices on air pollution and human health extends to the formation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from ammonia emissions, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
- The promotion of practices like no-till farming and cover cropping, as part of regenerative agriculture, can enhance soil structure, reduce erosion, and increase carbon sequestration, contributing to better air quality by reducing particulate matter suspended in the air.
- Reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions, apart from their role in global warming, can help in preventing respiratory diseases and cardiovascular issues by improving air quality, and could potentially prevent up to 83% of related deaths in the United States when promoting plant-based diets.
