Biotech crops can bring prosperity to small farmers

26 Feb '10

4 min read

Other key highlights marking the beginning of the second wave of growth in 2009 include the approval of SmartStax, a novel biotech maize containing eight different genes for insect and herbicide resistance; and planting in the United States and Canada of the first Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans – the first product of a new class of technology that allows more efficient, precise gene insertion to directly impact yields.

ISAAA predicts future adoption increases will also come from:

• significant expansion of biotech soybean, maize, and cotton in Brazil.
• commercialization of Bt cotton in 2010 by Pakistan, the fourth-largest cotton growing country.
• expansion of Bt cotton in Burkina Faso with potential adoption of biotech cotton and/or maize in other African countries including Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and Mali.
• adoption of golden rice by the Philippines in 2012 and Bangladesh and India before 2015.

Other smaller hectarage crops are also expected to be approved by 2015, including potatoes with pest and/or disease resistance, sugarcane with quality and agronomic traits, and disease resistant bananas. Wheat remains the last major staple crop without approved biotech traits. However, political will for the crop is growing globally. China may be the first country to approve biotech wheat as early as 5 years from now. Traits such as disease resistance are well advanced while sprouting tolerance and enhanced quality traits are being field-tested. China's public investment in the crop is likely the largest worldwide.

ISAAA expects the number of biotech farmers globally to reach 20 million or more in 40 countries on 200 million hectares in just more than five short years in 2015.

International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)

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