In their report,
Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2005, The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) showcases the environmental and economic benefits that have been realized with the adoption of biotechnology-enhanced crops around the globe.
The adoption of biotech crops continues to increase worldwide. Over the last decade, the number of countries adopting biotech crops has risen from six to 21. Furthermore, farmers have steadily increased adoption of biotech crops by double-digit growth rates every year since their commercialization in 1996. In 2005, the annual growth rate was equivalent to 11 percent or 22 million acres.
On the environmental front, the use of biotech crops has resulted in an estimated 172,500 metric ton reduction in the amount of pesticide active ingredients used from 1996 to 2004. This translates to a 14 percent reduction in environmental impact quotient (EIQ) compared to the cultivation of conventional crops.
ISAAA also reports that 7.7 million subsistence farmers in 11 developing countries are reaping the economic benefits of biotech crops. These farmers have experienced an average 25 to 30 percent increase in income due to the adoption of these crops. The ISAAA report states that this is an “…initial modest contribution of biotech crops to the Millennium Development Goal of reducing poverty by 50 percent by 2015…” Additionally, the report predicts that biotech crops will continue to be rapidly adopted around the world, both in industrial and developing countries, due to the substantial and consistent improvements in productivity, the environment, economics, and social benefits realized by farmers and consumers.
To view the ISAAA report, visit their website at http://www.isaaa.org. For background information on food biotechnology, go to http://www.ific.org and search “biotech.”
