Biotech Updates

Measuring Economic Impacts of GM Crops

May 15, 2009

As progressively more farmers in developing countries begin using genetically modified (GM) crops, careful evaluation of such crops' benefits becomes ever more important. A food policy review by the International Food Policy Research Institute examines the applied economics literature regarding the impact of GM crops on non-industrialized agriculture and investigates the research methods used in assessing how these crops affect farmers, consumers, the agricultural sector as a whole, and international trade. This analysis offers a tool for researchers who seek to produce objective, relevant analysis of emerging crop biotechnologies that can in turn be used by national policy makers in developing countries.

The policy review "Measuring the Economic Impacts of Transgenic Crops in Developing Agriculture During the First Decade: Approaches, Findings, and Future Directions" can be viewed at http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/fpreview/pv10.asp.