Biotech Updates

Bt Cotton Adoption Creates More Employment Opportunities in Female Laborers in Pakistan

May 18, 2016

Scientist Matin Qaim from Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Germany, together with researchers from COMSATS Institute of Information Technology and International Livestock Research Institute, Islamabad in Pakistan conducted a study to assess the employment effects of Bt cotton adoption in female laborers in Pakistan. The researchers used farms survey data and double-hurdle regression models.

Results showed that because of Bt cotton adoption, the demand for hired labor increased by 55 percent. This demand for labor is attributed to the increase in produce to be harvested. Bt cotton harvesting in Pakistan is done manually, which is primarily conducted by female laborers. With these results, it is implied that Bt technology helped create additional employment opportunities.

Read the findings in New Biotechnology.