1,721,607 research outputs found
Yield Effects of Genetically Modified Crops in Developing Countries
No full textOnfarm field trials carried out with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton in different states of India show that the technology substantially reduces pest damage and increases yields. The yield gains are much higher than what has been reported for other countries where genetically modified crops were used mostly to replace and enhance chemical pest control. In many developing countries, small-scale farmers especially suffer big pest-related yield losses because of technical and economic constraints. Pest-resistant genetically modified crops can contribute to increased yields and agricultural growth in those situations, as the case of Bt cotton in India demonstrates
The impact of agricultural biotechnology on yields, risks, and biodiversity in low-income countries
No full textThis paper shows that the current generation of transgenic crop varieties has significant potential to improve economic welfare in low-income countries. These varieties might increase crop yields in low-income countries in cases when pesticides have not been used. They will reduce negative health effects of chemicals when they replace them. With low transaction costs, appropriate infrastructure, and access to intellectual property, multiple varieties of transgenics will be introduced. The gain from transgenics will be reduced, and crop biodiversity may be lost when only a small set of varieties is transgenetically modified. The adoption of transgenics will also be affected by risk and credit considerations
Agricultural Biotechnology: Productivity, Biodiversity, and Intellectual Property Rights
No full textThis paper argues that current forms of agricultural biotechnology have significant potential for developing countries; the challenge is to realize this potential. We develop a conceptual model that explains why the yield effects of GMVs (genetically modified varieties) tend to be significant and reduce chemical use, contributing to human welfare, and present results from empirical studies that support these findings. We demonstrate that the adoption of GMVs might not necessarily lead to elimination of many varieties. Instead, crop biodiversity may be enhanced. Finally, we discuss how IPR constraints can be addressed, and new institutions that are already emerging may be used to allow developing countries more access to IPRs
ECONOMICS AND INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS
Full text linkResearch and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,
Economic and Social Considerations in the Adoption of Bt Crops
No full textThis chapter provides an overview of the economics of Bt crop adoption, with a special emphasis on Bt cotton. On average, the technology reduces insecticide applications and pest-related crop losses. In spite of higher seed prices, farmers realize substantial gains in cotton incomes. In India and China alone, Bt cotton produces annual welfare gains of several hundred million US dollars, with farmers being the main beneficiaries. In the USA, stronger IPR protection leads to larger benefit shares for biotechnology companies, but agricultural producers and consumers profit as well. More preliminary studies for maize, rice, and eggplant suggest that similar results can also be expected for other Bt crops. Furthermore, health benefits and aspects of consumer acceptance are analyzed. Finally, several institutional and regulatory issues are discussed, as these might have important ramifications for technology access, benefit distribution, seed market structures, and biodiversity
Adoption of Bt cotton and impact variability: insights from India
No full textThere is a growing body of literature about the impacts of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton in developing countries. While many studies show remarkable benefits for farmers, there are also reports that question these results. Most previous studies consider impacts in deterministic terms, neglecting existing variability. Here we explain the main factors influencing the agronomic and economic outcomes. Apart from differences in pest pressure and patterns of pesticide use, germplasm effects can play an important role. Theoretical arguments are supported by empirical evidence from India. Better understanding of impact variability can help explain some of the paradoxes in the recent controversy over genetically modified crops
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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