Biotech
crops making important contributions to sustainable farming
20 May
2009: Atlanta, USA:
New (annual) study shows biotech crops have delivered significant
global economic and environmental benefits and are making important
contributions to global food production & security.
(Download Full
report)
“Since 1996, biotech crop adoption has contributed to reducing the
release of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, decreased
pesticide spraying and significantly boosted farmers’ incomes,” said
Graham Brookes, director of PG Economics, co-author of the report.
“The technology has also made important contributions to increasing
the yields of many farmers, reducing production risks, improving
productivity and raising global production of key crops. The
combination of economic and environmental benefit delivery is
therefore making a valuable contribution to improving the
sustainability of global agriculture, with these benefits and
improvements being greatest in developing countries”
Previewing the findings of the comprehensive study, the key findings
are:
·
Biotech crops have
contributed to significantly reducing the release of greenhouse gas
emissions from agricultural practices. This results from less fuel use
and additional soil carbon storage from reduced tillage with biotech
crops. In 2007, this was equivalent to removing 14.2 billion kg of
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or equal to removing nearly 6.3
million cars from the road for one year;
·
Biotech crops have
reduced pesticide spraying (1996-2007) by 359 million kg (-8.8%:
equivalent to about 125% of the annual volume of pesticide active
ingredient applied to arable crops in the European Union) and as a
result decreased the environmental impact associated with herbicide
and insecticide use on the area planted to biotech crops by 17.2%;
·
Herbicide tolerant
biotech crops have facilitated the adoption of no/reduced tillage
production systems in many regions, especially South America. This
has made important contributions to reducing soil erosion and
improving soil moisture levels;
·
There have been
substantial net economic benefits at the farm level amounting to $10.1
billion in 2007 and $44.1 billion for the twelve year period. The
farm income gains in 2007 is equivalent to adding 4.4% to the value of
global production of the four main biotech crops of soybeans, corn,
canola and cotton;
·
Of the total farm income
benefit, 46.5% ($20.5 billion) has been due to yield gains, with the
balance arising from reductions in the cost of production. Two thirds
of the yield gain derive from adoption of insect resistant crops and
the balance from herbicide tolerant crops;
·
Farmers in developing
countries obtained the largest share of the farm income gains in 2007
(58%) and over the twelve year period obtained 50% of the total ($44.1
billion) gains;
·
The cost farmers paid
for accessing GM technology in 2007 was equal to 24% of the total
technology gains (a total of $13.2 billion inclusive of farm income
gains ($10.1 billion) plus cost of the technology payable to the seed
supply chain ($3.17 billion));
·
For farmers in
developing countries the total cost of accessing the technology in
2007 was equal to about 14% of total technology gains, whilst for
farmers in developed countries the cost was 34% of the total
technology gains. Whilst circumstances vary between countries, the
higher share of total technology gains accounted for by farm income
gains in developing countries relative to the farm income share in
developed countries reflects factors such as weaker provision and
enforcement of intellectual property rights in developing countries;
·
Since 1996, biotech
traits have added 67.8 million tonnes and 62.4 million tonnes
respectively to global production of soybeans and corn. The
technology has also contributed an extra 6.85 million tonnes of cotton
lint and 4.44 million tonnes of canola;
·
Production of soybeans,
corn, cotton and canola on the areas planted to biotech crops, in
2007, were respectively +29.8%, +7.6%, +19.8% and +8.5% higher than
levels would have otherwise been if GM technology had not been used by
farmers;
·
If GM technology had not
been available to the (12 million) farmers using the technology in
2007, maintaining global production levels at the 2007 levels would
have required additional plantings of 5.9 million ha of soybeans, 3
million ha of corn, 2.5 million ha of cotton and 0.3 million ha of
canola. This total area requirement is equivalent to about 6% of the
arable land in the US, or 23% of the arable land in Brazil.
For additional information, contact
Graham Brookes. Tel 00 44 (0) 1531 650123
www.pgeconomics.co.uk
