While the spread of genetically modified crops can conjure up images of unwanted volunteer canola plants, there are times when it is something to be trumpeted by GM boosters.
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, or ISAAA, thinks 2004 is one of those times.
Global GM acreage grew 20 percent last year. For the first time since GM crops were introduced in 1996, developing countries made bigger GM gains than industrial countries, expanding by 17.8 million acres compared to 15.1 million acres.
“The continued rapid adoption, especially among small, resource-poor farmers, is a testament to the economic, environmental, health and social benefits realized by farmers and society in both industrial and developing countries,” ISAAA chair Clive James told reporters participating in an international conference call.
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Ninety percent of the 8.25 million farmers who grew GM crops in 2004 were from developing nations, according to a detailed study conducted by the non-profit organization, which is attempting to alleviate hunger and poverty by transferring crop biotechnology applications to third world countries.
ISAAA receives funding from governments, charity and research organizations and biotech companies.
One of those farmers was Edwin Paraluman, who runs a 10-acre mixed operation in the Philippines. This was the second year he planted GM corn and he couldn’t be happier with the results.
Paraluman managed to double his corn yields to three tonnes from 1.5 tonnes per acre by growing GM Bt maize resistant to the corn borer, an insect that damaged up to 70 percent of his crop in the past.
He also received quality premiums for his corn and was able to eliminate up to six pesticide applications per season by using the Bt maize.
As a result, the Filipino farmer has been able to increase his income by 50 percent, which allowed him to build onto his house and purchase a motorcycle for transportation.
“Now I am happy, I am safe and my animals are safe,” he said.
But not everybody is buying the message that biotechnology makes the world a better place to live in.
“They really push this notion of international acceptance but my view is a lot of it is still just hype and wishful thinking,” said National Farmers Union president Stewart Wells.
He said it took three or four years for Canadian farmers to realize some of the negative effects of Roundup Ready canola, such as the spread of volunteer plants and the increased cultivation necessary due to weeds.
Wells couldn’t confirm or dispute the ISAAA acreage numbers but he wondered whether resource-poor farmers or biotech promoters are driving the growing demand in developing nations.
“We can’t underestimate the power of these companies to influence the direction that farmers take,” said Wells. “If seed companies end up only making biotech seeds available, that’s what farmers will be forced to grow and that’s what consumers will be forced to eat.”
James said the fact that 11 developing countries account for more than one-third of the 200 million global GM acres reflects the “keen interest” of the 7.5 million small, impoverished farmers who benefited greatly from this technology in 2004.
But he admitted their share of total GM production would be a far smaller number because there are much lower crop yields in developing nations.
The ISAAA predicts 15 million farmers will be growing 371 million acres of biotech crops by 2010. James expects to see continued adoption of the technology in third world countries, which he thinks is essential for feeding an ever-expanding population.
“In the next 50 years mankind will consume twice as much food as mankind has consumed since the beginning of agriculture, 10,000 years ago,” he said.
