The economic benefits of insect-resistant genetically modified (GM) crops have been well documented, but the impact of such crops and the consequent reduction in pesticide use on farmers’ health remains largely unknown. Through the analysis of the data collected from the physical examination from farmers in China, we show that GM rice significantly reduces pesticide use and the resultant not only visible but also invisible adverse effects on farmers’ neurological, hematological, and electrolyte system. Hence, the commercialization of GM rice is expected to improve the health of farmers in developing countries, where pesticide application is necessary to mitigate crop loss...
This study shows that commercialization of GM rice may reduce pesticide use by more than 2/3. This equals a national pesticide
reduction of more than 196,000 t, or about 6 billion RMB, annually). More importantly, this study provides new evidence on the benefits of GM technology to the health of farmers. It should be noted that 8% of rice farmers still suffer from acute pesticide-related poisoning. According to the national statistics, the average pesticide level per hm2 for cash crops is even higher than that of rice, and there are more than 200 million farming households in
China. Thus, the estimated 16 million farmers who suffer acute poisoning illnesses each year can benefit from the use of GM technology and the consequent reduction in pesticide exposure.
reduction of more than 196,000 t, or about 6 billion RMB, annually). More importantly, this study provides new evidence on the benefits of GM technology to the health of farmers. It should be noted that 8% of rice farmers still suffer from acute pesticide-related poisoning. According to the national statistics, the average pesticide level per hm2 for cash crops is even higher than that of rice, and there are more than 200 million farming households in
China. Thus, the estimated 16 million farmers who suffer acute poisoning illnesses each year can benefit from the use of GM technology and the consequent reduction in pesticide exposure.
More importantly, this study provides empirical new evidences on the benefits of GM technology to farmers’ health. Our results show that GM technologies such as GM rice can significantly improve farmers’ health through avoiding incidence of pesticide-related illness (or visible effect) and
invisible short time effects on farmers’ neurological system, hematological system and blood electrolytes. While most of the effects observed in this study are short-term (e.g., invisible effects within 24 h), farmers spray pesticides many times during the entire crop-growing season. It follows that frequent short-term effects may affect the long-term health of farmers...
invisible short time effects on farmers’ neurological system, hematological system and blood electrolytes. While most of the effects observed in this study are short-term (e.g., invisible effects within 24 h), farmers spray pesticides many times during the entire crop-growing season. It follows that frequent short-term effects may affect the long-term health of farmers...
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11427-014-4768-1
Open Access @Impact of insect-resistant GM rice on pesticide use and farmers’ health in China - Online First - Springer:
JiKun Huang, RuiFa Hu, FangBin Qiao, YanHong Yin, HuaiJu Liu, ZhuRong Huang
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