Global biotech crop plantings increase 100-fold

Last year marked an unprecedented 100-fold increase in biotech crop hectarage to 170 million hectares from 1.7 million in 1996, when biotech crops were first commercialised, according to a new report from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA).

The report said that from 1996 to 2011, biotech crops contributed to food security, sustainability and climate change by increasing crop production valued at US$98.2 billion; providing a better environment by saving 473 million kg a.i. of pesticides; in 2011 alone reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 23 billion kg, equivalent to taking 10.2 million cars off the road; conserving biodiversity by saving 108.7 million hectares of land; and helping more than 15 million small farmers and their families, who are some of the poorest people in the world.

The ISAAA said biotech crops are essential but are not a panacea and adherence to good farming practices such as rotations and resistance management are a must for biotech crops as they are for conventional crops.

The US continued to be the lead country with 69.5 million hectares of biotech crops, but for the first time since the introduction of biotech/GM crops almost two decades ago, developing countries have grown more hectares than industrialised countries, contributing to food security and further alleviating poverty in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

Adoption of biotech crops in developing countries has built up steadily over the years, finally surpassing industrial countries in 2012, a milestone once thought impossible, said the ISAAA.

Developing nations planted 52% of the global biotech crops in 2012, up from 50% a year earlier and above the 48% industrial countries grew last year, according to the report titled ‘Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012.

The report underscores rising awareness in developing countries about the benefits of planting genetically modified crops, which not only have increased yields, but also bring savings in fuel, time and machinery, reduction in pesticide use, higher quality of product and more growing cycles.

For a copy of the full report see here.