Occupational hazards encountered by agricultural workers

Although the number of people who indulge in agricultural work in the developed world has fallen due to increasing mechanisation, automation, and the use of chemical and biological preparations, agriculture still accounts for the employment of more than 50% of the worlds working population. Agriculture involves cultivating the soil for the production of crops and raising of livestock, to provide foodstuffs and raw materials for processing. Because of this broad diversity, farmers are often exposed to a variety of hazards not necessarily associated with agriculture.