Bt Cotton

Bt cotton significantly increases income and saves time for farmers, thus providing an opportunity to impact the quality of life for farmers and their families. In China, the increased income allows farm families to increase food purchases and food consumption, thus improving nutritional standards (Pray et al 2001). The time savings for women in South Africa gives them more time to devote to high value activities such as caring for children and the sick and allows them to generate additional income by participating in non-farming activities (Ismael et al 2002a). Children in South Africa who no longer have to participate in spraying activities can now devote more time to educational and other worthwhile pursuits (Ismael et al 2002a). These are important examples of how Bt cotton can offer social benefits that extend beyond the farmers’ fields and into their home and community. Small resource-poor cotton farmers, 50 % of whom are women in South Africa, spend much of their time carrying water for domestic use and for farm use. It is estimated that annually women and girls in Africa spend 40 billion hours carrying water for domestic and agricultural use including water for spraying pesticides on crops such as cotton (Johns Hopkins University 2002). Water is the staff of life and therefore saving water at a time when global supplies are becoming more limited has profound social implications. Some of the social implications of saving water by significantly reducing the number of insecticide sprays are discussed below, within the broader context of global water usage and availability in developing countries.

Summary topics:

• Agronomic Benefits
• Environmental Benefits
  • Reduction in use of cotton insecticides
  • Less insecticides in aquifers and the environment
  • Farmer exposure to insecticide and health implications
  • Reduced production risks and enhanced opportunities to grow Bt cotton
  • Increased populations of beneficial insects
  • Reduced risk for wildlife
  • Reduced fuel and raw material consumption, and pollution
• Social benefits
  • Social implications of saving water by reducing number of insecticide sprays
• Economic benefits
  • China
  • USA
  • India
  • Others
  • Distribution of economic surplus to Bt cotton stakeholders

Related topics:

• The cotton crop
• Global distribution of cotton in developing and industrial countries, by area, production, consumption, imports, and exports
• Number of cotton farmers worldwide and size of farms
• Insect pests of cotton
• Crop losses due to insect pests of cotton and the cost of control
• Global insecticide usage on cotton
• The use of Bt genes in cotton
• Assessment of environmental risk and Insect Resistance Management (IRM) strategies
• Global adoption of Bt cotton
• Bt cotton experience to date
• Summary: Agronomic, Environmental, Social and Economic Benefits
• Future global potential for Bt cotton: opportunities and challenges
• Highlights

Summary Report on the Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops - [View the 2004 report]

Transgenic Crops - [Click Here]

Extensive Study on Bt Cotton - [Click Here]

Download the complete copy of the ISAAA Briefs on Global Status/Review of GM Crops - [Click Here]

SciDev.Net's dossier on GM crops - [Click here]

Global Status of Approved Genetically Modified Plants -  [Click here]

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