Bt GM cotton vital for Bukina Faso Economy

Just as food fuels a body, agriculture drives an economy. It accounts for at least 40 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and 80 percent of employment in many poor countries¹.  Agricultural growth not only means more food, it has the potential to increase income and decrease food prices. It’s also proven to reduce poverty. China’s 45 percent drop in rural poverty between 1981 and 2001 is credited to the country’s rapid growth in agriculture².

As a key contributor to agricultural development, plant science innovation is also recognised for stimulating local and national economies. A single crop like Bt cotton injects more than $100 million per year into Burkina Faso’s economy³.  And in China, biotech crops are a key factor in achieving the government’s goal of doubling farmers’ income levels by 2020⁴. 

Agriculture is by far the single most important economic activity in sub-Saharan Africa, with 70 percent of the rural population dependent on food production for most of their livelihood⁵.  Agriculture and its associated industries are also essential to growth and to reducing mass poverty and food insecurity in this region⁶.  For instance, when agriculture stimulates growth in Africa, the growth is twice as effective in reducing poverty as growth based in other sectors⁷.

Agricultural exports also generate foreign exchange, which is vital to a national economy. Nearly 40 developing countries depended on agriculture for over 50 percent of their export earnings in 1998-2000⁸.  Exporting agricultural products is essential for a country like Burkina Faso in West Africa, where 40 percent of the population work in the cotton (often referred to as “white gold”) industry. As the region’s leading cotton producer and exporter, cotton accounted for 32 percent of the country’s value of exports in 2008, and in many areas, the sale of cottonseed is the main or only source of cash revenue for farmers⁹.  Biotech cotton varieties introduced in 2008 were quickly adopted by farmers due to their higher yields and now account for 65 percent of the cotton area.  It’s estimated that biotech cotton can generated a national economic benefit of over $100 million per year¹⁰.

There are indirect economic benefits, too. Plant science encourages entrepreneurship and moves communities from unemployment to job creation environments. In India, higher cotton yields, due to Bt technology, provided more employment opportunities for agricultural laborers and a boost to rural transport and trading businesses. Income gains among farmers and farm workers resulted in more demand for food and non-food items, inducing growth and household income increases in other sectors locally. Each dollar of direct benefits was associated with over US$0.80 cents of additional indirect benefits in the local economy¹¹.

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(Reposted fron CropLife Blog)