The Human Cost of Sugar Harvesting | National Geographic

Sugarcane harvesters in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, have a life expectancy of only 46 years, with many of them dying from chronic kidney disease. Experts think they may have figured out why the workers are being afflicted at such an alarming rate. But the plantation owners have their own ideas about the root cause. Regardless of who's right, the toll on the community has been grief and heartbreak for those suffering from the disease and for their families.
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Read more about the disease, and efforts to prevent it:
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See more of Ed Kashi's photos of sugarcane harvesters:
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The Human Cost of Sugar Harvesting | National Geographic
• The Human Cost of Suga...
National Geographic
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[@AinnaDean]

These people have no other option. Work and die or don't work and die. To know that they died leaving sometimes small children pains me because I know what it's like to have a parent die of a disease at a young age. How could a person's life be treated so cheaply? This story needs to be shared and awareness of this should be spread out internationally.

[@elamorsd96]

I never knew anything about this until now and I hope more people see this

[@tonyv.207]

Clean Drinking water is 3-4 times more expensive than Gasoline. If These Sugar Cane companies would ask their consumers for .05 cents per # of sugar to provide water and nutrition education for the workers of These Plantations, it would save many lives and Fathers for their Families for years to come.

[@Richcon07]

They likely have the money without even asking their consumers for .05 cents per lbs. of sugar!

[@Christian80806]

WOW something as simple as dehydration... SMH all they need is water/pedialite/Gatorade and bathroom breaks.... this is sad and ridiculous 😭😭😭💔💔💔

[@foster3217]

Wow!!! What happen with this world?? This world needs more love for the people strong !!!!!!

[@shaikhmohiruddin660]

It's tragic.

[@alrobinson261]

The most likely source of renal failure is nephrotoxicity from pesticides sprayed on the crops or heavy metal exposure such as mercury, lead, or arsenic from the water supply.

[@kmarieking12]

Wow. This breathtaking. I'm glad it's being brought to everyone's attention

[@anabertharamosseto9720]

i love my Nicaragua Life & live 2015

[@Repzion]

Wow, i had no idea.

[@AdmiralAsma]

It's horrible.

[@MaQuGo119]

Hi Repzion, any advise on how to commit suicide and get drugs?

[@happyheyhi]

I agree. I just recently found out about bones in sugar. And now people are dying over harvesting sugar...to even think about what else goes on through each product. I feel like everyone needs to be nicer to each other as well, bc we won't know what the person next to us went through...

[@balatsu1]

Good film

[@paradisegunshot]

this is so sad :( these people are transparent for the most of us...

[@narcisioelmurza882]

One thing I want to know, is it the case only in Ingenio San Antonio or in some other sugar cane fields the experiences are similar?...

[@CousinlT]

Though Ingenio San Antonio seems to have the highest rate of prevalence of CKD, this seems to be a pretty universal problem in El Salvador and Nicaragua associated with burnt sugar cane harvesting. www.nature.com/nrneph/journal/v10/n12/full/nrneph.2014.190.html To quote an iWatch News report, "In El Salvador and Nicaragua alone over the last two decades, the number of men dying from kidney disease has risen fivefold. Now more men are dying from the ailment than from HIV/AIDS, diabetes and leukemia combined." An ABC report states, "Nicaragua's highest rates of chronic kidney disease show up around the Ingenio San Antonio, a plant owned by the Pellas Group conglomerate, whose sugar mill processes nearly half the nation's sugar."

[@rodbender9076]

Iodine! For the liver and kidneys. It cleanses.

[@rodbender9076]

What type of herbacides and pesticides are used?

[@ericphan5857]

Thank you for the informative advertisement I appreciation critical information like that on the commercial

[@waralex2]

Its because of the water, they go to the field with that toxic water. . Im a small time sugarcane farmer from the philippines. We dont use herbicide, and i dont recommend my people getting water on pitcher pumps

[@Vanilla.coke1234]

National Geographic needs to start including a transcript in the description or a link to a transcript

[@ridvanoneyber4824]

Triste historia la de nuestros hermanos del Occidente de #Nicaragua :(

[@RaulRivarola]

This is really tragic and we most do something. Esto es realmente trágico y tenemos que hacer algo. Ethical consumerism: fair-trade sugar. Consumo responsable: azúcar de comercio justo.

[@MalachiSealy-sy8nl]

Its funny just see peoples comments from years when I'm inside my house doing this because of online school

[@emileecurrul4188]

same

[@freddybishop2287]

Same

[@QueenoNerds]

this is horrible i feel sorry for the poor workers

[@ajrwilde14]

I think it must be partly to do with the chemical fertilisers and pesticides, if you must buy sugar buy organic people!

[@diannafreespirit]

What an eye opener on so many levels. They are essentially slaves.

[@ajrwilde14]

ashamed of myself that I had no idea about this

[@krj0829]

So Gatorade or even plain water could be provided by the sugar company and this would be solved.

[@ladonnakirk5599]

this is so sad.

[@georgegalvan9066]

Wow. Just wow, and people complaining about their lives her ein the US. They do not know the struggle. Im hispanic and am truly blessed to have been born in the US. Where you at least have the opportunity to better yourself financially, some people dont ever get the chance, sometimes multiple geberationa within the same family dont get that chance

[@elconocimientolibera123]

Mi papá falleció a causas de la insuficiencia renal crónica. El nunca trabajó en ningun ingenio azucarero. El doctor qlo atendió me dijo las causas por las que se desarrolla esa terrible enfermedad, es por la falta de tomar suficiente agua, también está muy relacionado la hipetencion arterial y la diabetes. My dad died from chronic kidney failure. He never worked in any sugar mill. The doctor who treated him told me the reasons why this terrible disease develops, it is due to the lack of drinking enough water, high blood pressure and diabetes are also closely related.

[@Richcon07]

These sugar companies don't give even a small percentage of care to what their workers are dying from and living with. This definitely needs more coverage. To think this came out in 2015!

[@kaumingo]

Blame GLYPHOSATE. I have heard that all the cane gets sprayed with Round Up as a dessicant just before harvest.

[@havanadaurcy1321]

So how do you remove Serrated Tussock, human? My area of Australia wants to know since it's the only thing that they aren't resistant to.

[@bettyparker3476]

Thank U for this info.

[@mlpadha303]

It could be the smoke filled air which affects health

[@CarlosValenzuela-sx9xb]

What's the guitar piece at the end?

[@KimGonzalez-uk7lh]

6:48 this is the highlight of this video. please enjoy that single second :))

[@bradtaylor9479]

Now I feel bad for eating my sugar cookie ice cream and then throwing it away as sugar cookies mixed with ice cream is a bad idea.

[@malsprower]

This is why I am growing it at home :(

[@chevon1920]

You’re growing sugar cane in your backyard?

[@Ntmoffi]

This is BS! I had no idea these people were dying like this!

[@malsprower]

Someone give these guys a John Deere!

[@ojwanggeoffrey2770]

They will riot for lack of jobs

[@candyazz28]

@11:48

[@oliverolive3743]

they should mechanize the harvesting process. But that would only bring more profits for the owner so fuck that, amiright?

[@anabertharamosseto9720]

LAS EMFERMEDADES SON CRUELES, ENCIMA DE LA POBREZA HUMANA DE LA COMUNIDAD DE NICARAGUA, LUCHANDO HOMBRO CON HOMBREO POR LA SUPER VIVENCIA, NECESITAN LA AYUDA DE LA COMUNIDAD DE TODOS NOSOTROS, PORQUE TODOS MERECEMOS VIVIR CON DIGNIDAD.

[@Poodleinacan]

I knew it was caused by dehydration.

[@laurice8056]

Poodleinacan * Sugar is KILLING people Everywhere, from the fields to our beverages and foods! ☠️

[@spaceexploration4169]

So sad that the useless government of Nicaragua allows this to occur.

[@dannysands9341]

They dont care

[@maka6106]

can someone explain how the workers get kidney disease from breathing in the sugar? wouldnt they get some type of respiratory disease?

[@CousinlT]

The main causal link seems to be chronic dehydration (which can cause acute kidney damage) in combination with agricultural pesticides. I need to do some research as to what pesticides are used in this industry, but my money is that the components or a component of the pesticides used exacerbates this kidney damage.

[@LordDirus007]

Yeah I am sure levels of alcoholism, couple with constant working in the heat. Leads to severe dehydration and kidney failure.

[@isabeldilly200]

First comment!

[@ShaynaMLP]

wow...

[@Poodleinacan]

... To fuck yourself, yeah!

[@ISLAVERDE29]

Nobody cares loser!!!

[@sebastianwolford6556]

hssshheueiweuu speak English

[@johnkelfy7256]

Irl idc

[@evanbrown2612]

So basically, if these people brought water with them to drink while at work they would be ok? I used to do construction in phoenix Arizona and would work in extremely hot conditions, I would always bring plenty to drink. No offense to these people but I feel like this could all be prevented by the individual workers on there own, yet they all want to lay the blame on someone else.

[@ajrwilde14]

maybe they do and it's still not enough?! maybe they can't carry enough without difficulty? the company could provide them with water but is too selfish to...but yet you blame the victims - are you a sociopath?

[@bettyparker3476]

They brought their water with them. Yet they still die.

[@betsycollins601]

I agree. Human decency and due diligence would compel any responsible employer to provide clean water to employees.