France, Oct. 2 -- "Pesticides are manufactured in France and exported to the Global South by companies who know full well that these pesticides contain molecules banned here," said Fleur Breteau, founder of Cancer Colere, one of four French organisations behind Saturday's campaign.

"They are making money in breach of French regulations and in defiance of human rights laws."

Farmers and organisations from countries including Pakistan and Argentina have joined the mobilisation, sharing what Breteau describes as the same anger over "chemical colonisation".

"We, farmers, need to unite because of chemical colonialism by these very powerful agrochemical firms. As a Western person, as a French person, it is a big no because they are making mo...