Bt Cotton Increased Farmers' Produce by 10-Fold in China

Mr. Maotang Zu, President of the Farmer Technology Association from the Gaobeidian City of Hebei Province, shared how Bt cotton improved farmers' lives by gaining an average of 10-fold increase in their produce. He said this during the webinar on the Global Impact of GM Crops hosted by ISAAA SEAsiaCenter in collaboration with PG Economics, China Biotechnology Information Center, and CropLife Asia.

The webinar, held on Septermber 21, 2020 via Zoom, was the first of a series of webinars on the topic. Agricultural economist from PG Economics, Graham Brookes, presented the global impacts of GM crops following the analysis of data gathered from 1996 to 2018, showcasing the socio-economic and environmental effects to various countries. He gave a special nod to its effects on China's economy, with China being the first host-country of his webinar series. The webinar also featured a short presentation of the global status of GM crops for 2018 by ISAAA SEAsiaCenter Director Dr. Rhodora Aldemita.

The webinar was also broadcasted live via WeChat, Youtube, and Facebook to maximize reach. Dr. Chunyi Zang of the Institute of Crop Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences moderated the panel discussion, wherein special topics were elaborated such as the impact of the newly-approved GM corn and GM soybeans in China, as well as the importance of GM crop production and its requirements for quality food and natural biodiversity. Dr. Mahaletchumy Arujanan, ISAAA Global Coordinator, closed the webinar episode by stating China is a key economy in the world, and it is a key country to watch for in terms of its innovations in biotechnology and new breeding technologies. She also addressed the critics of biotechnology to speak to the farmers first before they speak for them.

Watch the full webinar in the ISAAA Youtube channel.