GM is providing higher yields
GM is being grown on mare land in the developing world than the west
GM is improving farm incomes
GM has reduced pesticide use by 286,000,000 kg
GM has reduced environmental impacts by 15.4%
GM has provided an additional $33.8 billion in economic benefits
GM has reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 6,650,000 cars off the road
Global Impact of Biotech Crops: Socio-Economic and Environmental
Effects, 1996-2006
http://www.agbioforum.org/v11n1/v11n1a03-brookes.htm
Genetically modified (GM) crops have been grown commercially on a substantial scale for eleven years. This paper updates the assessment of the impact this technology is having on global agriculture from both economic and environmental perspectives.
It examines specific global economic impacts on farm income and environmental impacts associated with pesticide usage and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for each of the countries where GM crops have been grown since 1996. The analysis shows that there have been substantial net economic benefits at the farm level amounting to $6.94 billion in 2006 and $33.8 billion for the eleven-year period (in nominal terms). The technology has reduced pesticide spraying by 286 million kg and, as a
result, decreased the environmental impact associated with herbicide and insecticide use on these crops by 15.4%. GM technology has also significantly reduced the release of GHG emissions from this cropping area, which, in 2006, was equivalent
to removing 6.56 million cars from the roads.
GM technology has had a very positive impact on farm income derived from a combination of enhanced productivity and efficiency gains. In 2006, the direct global farm income benefit from GM crops was $6.94 billion. This is equivalent to having added 3.8% to the value of global production of the four main crops of
soybeans, maize, canola, and cotton. Since 1996, farm incomes have increased by $33.8billion.
Substantial gains have also arisen in the cotton sector through a combination of higher yields and lower costs. In 2006, cotton farm income levels in the GM adopting countries increased by $2.15 billion and since 1996, the sector has benefited from an additional $9.6 billion. The 2006 income gains are equivalent to adding 13.1% to the value of the cotton crop in these countries, or 7.8% to the $27.3 billion value of total global cotton production. This is a substantial increase in value-added terms for two new cotton seed technologies.
In terms of the division of the economic benefits obtained by farmers in developing countries relative to farmers in developed countries, in 2006, just over half of the farm income benefits (53%)have been earned by developing-country farmers. The vast majority of these income gains for developing country farmers have been from GM IR cotton and GM HT soybeans. Over the eleven years, 1996-2006, the cumulative farm income gain derived by developing country farmers was $16.4 billion (48.5% of the total).
GM crops have contributed to a significant reduction in the environmental impact of production agriculture on the areas devoted to GM crops. Since 1996, the use of pesticides on the GM crop area was reduced by 286 million kg of active ingredient, a 7.9% reduction, and the overall environmental impact associated with herbicide and insecticide use on these crops was reduced by 15.4%.
In terms of the division of the environmental benefits associated with less insecticide and herbicide use for farmers in developing countries relative to farmers in developed countries, just over half of the environmental benefits (1996-2006) associated with lower insecticide and herbicide use have been in developing
countries (52%).
In 2006, the permanent carbon dioxide savings from reduced fuel use associated with GM crops was 1.2 billion kg. This is equivalent to removing 540,000 cars from the road for a year. The additional soil carbon sequestration gains resulting from reduced tillage with GM crops accounted for a reduction in 13.5 billion kg of carbon dioxide emissions in 2006. This is equivalent to removing 6 million cars from the roads for a year. In total, the carbon savings from reduced fuel use and soil carbon sequestration in 2006 were equal to removing 6.56 million cars from the road (equal to 25% of all registered private cars in the United Kingdom).
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