GM production 'growing in developing countries'
According to the recent report published by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications ninety percent of farmers growing genetically modified crops are from developing countries. The report states that 23 countries — 12 of which were developing nations — planted GM crops in 2007. In total, 114.3 million hectares of GM crops were cultivated worldwide, with 43 percent of the global GM crop area in developing countries. This is great news!
C.S. Prakash
GM production 'growing in developing countries'
SciDev.net
February 18, 2008
Ninety per cent of farmers growing genetically modified (GM) crops are from developing countries, according to a report.
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), a non-profit organisation promoting agricultural biotechnology for the poor, say that GM crops were grown by 11 million small and resource-poor farmers in 2007 — 90 per cent of the total number of GM-growing farmers worldwide.
This was an increase of 18.3 per cent from 2006, when some 9.3 million small farmers were represented.
"With increasing food prices globally, the benefits of biotech crops have never been more important," said Clive James, one of the authors of the report and chairman of the ISAAA, in a press statement.
According to the report, launched last week (13 February), 23 countries — 12 of which were developing nations — planted GM crops in 2007. In total, 114.3 million hectares of GM crops were cultivated worldwide, with 43 per cent of the global GM crop area in developing countries.
In terms of hectarage, the biggest GM producer is still the United States, followed by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India and China.
