crop genetic Articles
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The economic impact of transgenic crops in developing countries: a note on the methods
A vast literature has accumulated since crop varieties with transgenic resistance to insects and herbicide tolerance were released to farmers in 1996 and 1997. A comparatively minor segment of this literature consists of studies conducted by agricultural economists to measure the farm-level impact of transgenic crop varieties, the size and distribution of the economic benefits from adopting them ...
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Living the promise? The role of the private sector in enabling small-scale farmers to benefit from agro-biotech
Biotechnology and transgenetic crops (tGMOs) hold great promises as part of integrated solutions for poor and small-scale farmers. The private sector, which to date controls most releases of tGMOs globally, has combined philanthropy and commercialisation to this end. Yet few benefits have materialised. This narrative paper surveys and provides a framework for how multinational companies transfer ...
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The socio–economic impacts of currently commercialised genetically engineered crops
A substantial and growing body of literature now exists on the socio–economic impacts of genetically engineered (GE) crops. While the bulk of literature has focused on the primary impacts of commercialised GE technology, in terms of changes in yields, costs and profitability, researchers have increasingly addressed a range of additional questions such as the distribution of impacts across groups, ...
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Changing intellectual property regimes: implications for developing country agriculture
The revolutions in biotechnology and intellectual property protection began in the developed world. The USA led the global transformation of intellectual property protection, and has been the leader in commercialisation of biotechnology in agriculture. Now all members of the World Trade Organization are committed to offer intellectual property protections for agriculture. Will the benefits of ...
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Are genetically modified (GM) crops a commercial risk for Africa?
What risks might Africa face if it decided to plant genetically modified (GM) agricultural crops? A rough calculation based on current export profiles for one sampling of eastern and southern African countries suggests that the commercial export risks incurred outside of Africa would be quite small. Most of Africa's exports of goods that might be considered GM currently go to other African ...
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Agricultural innovation and biotechnology development towards sustainable goals: can we make it more pro-poor?
Agriculture continues to change – driven by innovation and new technology. Genetics and breeding have revolutionised agricultural systems, and the 'Green Revolution', based on higher yielding varieties of dwarf wheat and rice, is arguably the greatest achievement in food crop development. Gene technologies now offer additional opportunities, where new traits improving crop protection ...
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Transgenic crops, EU precaution, and developing countries
Agricultural biotechnologies have the potential to offer higher incomes for farmers in developing countries and lower-priced and better-quality food, feed and fibre. That potential is being heavily compromised, however, because of strict regulatory systems in the European Union and elsewhere governing transgenically modified (GM) crops. This paper examines why the EU has taken the extreme ...
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The GMO experience in North and South America
This paper surveys the level and distribution of economic impacts of GMOs in the Americas from 1996–2004. Key institutional factors influencing GMO diffusion are discussed. In 2004 the Americas accounted for 94% of world GMO area. Diffusion has been concentrated; four countries, four crops and two traits account for the vast majority of area. The economic benefits of the diffusion of GMOs have ...
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Is genetically engineered technology a good alternative to pesticide use: the case of GE eggplant in India
Are pesticides used efficiently in eggplant cultivation? Is Genetically Engineered (GE) eggplant a good alternative to pesticide use? Building on the literature on damage control specification for production functions, we estimated the pesticide productivity for eggplant, using data from a farm-level survey conducted in Maharashtra, India. Even though the intensity of pesticide use by Open ...
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A GM subsistence crop in Africa: the case of Bt white maize in South Africa
The Republic of South Africa (RSA) is the first developing country to plant genetically modified staple food – Bt white maize. The following paper describes the development and spread of Bt maize in RSA that started in 1998. After that, based on surveys of 33 large commercial Bt maize farmers and 368 smallholders in 2001/2, it shows that Bt maize gives higher yields for both groups and reduces ...
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Introduction: Global actors, markets and rules driving the diffusion of genetically modified (GM) crops in developing countries
The theme of this special issue – genetically modified (GM) crops – goes to the heart of the process of globalisation, technology and development. This introductory essay explains how this new technology is being driven by the actors (multinational corporations), markets (large global markets) and rules (intellectual property) of globalisation. But it is also shaped by the other national and ...
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An analysis of Bt corn's benefits and risks for national and regional policymakers considering Bt corn adoption
This paper examines important factors for policymakers to consider when making a decision to adopt Bt corn planting and commercialisation, by analysing the market, environmental, and health benefits and risks of Bt corn as well as current regulatory policies that may affect trade. Bt corn, genetically modified to produce a pesticidal protein, has benefits that include improved yield, decreased ...
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Impact of Bt cotton on farmer livelihoods in South Africa
The economic benefits of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in developing countries have been well documented, but little research has been undertaken to date on the impacts of GM adoption on household livelihoods. The research reported here aimed to assess the livelihood impacts of the adoption of Bt cotton in South Africa., and involved 100 interviews of resource-poor farmers growing Bt cotton in ...
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Can genetic engineering help quench crops’ thirst?
Researchers around the world are exploring how GMO technology might boost food production under hot, dry conditions. Roger Deal is trying to figure out how plants remember drought. An assistant professor of biochemistry and genetics at Emory University, Deal says most plants have a kind of memory for stress. When experiencing water shortage, for example, plants close the holes in their leaves, ...
By Ensia
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Crop gene banks are preserving the future of agriculture. But who’s preserving them?
As climate change makes crop diversity even more important, gene banks struggle to stay afloat. During the past few years of civil war in Syria, rebel fighters have destroyed Shia mosques and Christian graves, and burned and looted Christian churches while the Islamic State group has demolished priceless artifacts in the region. Nothing seemed sacred to the disparate groups vying for control of ...
By Ensia
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Agrobiotechnology choices in developing countries
Today's agrobiotechnology revolution - especially the move toward transgenic or genetically modified (GM) crops - is being researched, commercialised, and (hotly) debated mostly in Europe, the USA, and elsewhere within the rich industrial world. Yet it is in the developing countries where the greatest human and environmental promise - or peril - of this new technology may lie. This paper argues ...
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Leaf Area - How & Why Measuring Leaf Area is Vital to Plant Research
What is Leaf Area? It is easy to measure leaves, and they are also the parts of a plant most responsive to their environment. The combination of these two factors makes leaf area measurement extremely useful to scientists and growers. Besides, leaves are one of the main plant organs and are responsible for the productivity of a plant, and on a larger scale, of an ecosystem or a farm. Therefore, ...
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Biotechnology for Environmentally Safe Agriculture
Issue: In Europe some uses of biotechnology are meeting vocal opposition from certain quarters. Nevertheless, the vast amount of knowledge acquired recently in biology can be used to develop and apply biotechnology for an environmentally safe agriculture. Public acceptance and a new policy impetus can serve to promote the introduction of safe and competitive agricultural technologies that have a ...
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