The Use of GM Crops in Developing Countries
Global commercial use of GM crops
3.21 Three-quarters of GM crops which are grown worldwide are cultivated in developed countries, predominantly on large-scale industrial farms in the US, Argentina and Canada. Traits which have been successfully introduced by means of genetic modification relate primarily to the needs of these farmers. However, of the approximately six million farmers who grew GM crops legally in 2002 worldwide, more than three-quarters were resourcepoor, small-scale cotton farmers in developing countries, mainly in China and South Africa.21 While the number of farmers using GM crops is the highest in developing countries, they only account for 27% of the total area. The five countries which grew 99% of the global GM crop are shown in Figure 3.1.
Figure 3.1: Global area of legally planted GM crops in 2002 by country (million hectares)
Figure3.1
| James C (2002) Preview, Global Status of Commercialized Transgenic Crops: 2002 ISAAA Brief No. 27 (Ithaca, NY: ISAAA). |
3.22 Between 1999-2002, the principal GM crops grown have been non-staple crops, grown by commercial farmers in developed countries. The most commonly used traits were herbicide tolerance (75%) and pest resistance (15%). Varieties carrying two or more transgenes which conferred both pest resistance and herbicide tolerance accounted for 8% of all crops. Herbicide tolerant soybean was the most widely grown GM crop in 2002 (see Figure 3.2).
Figure 3.2: Global area of legally planted GM crops in 2002 by crop (million hectares)
Figure3.2
| James C (2002) Preview, Global Status of Commercialized Transgenic Crops: 2002 ISAAA Brief No. 27 (Ithaca, NY: ISAAA). |
3.23 In 2002, nearly one-quarter of the total area of GM crops worldwide was grown in Argentina. Soybean and maize for export as animal feed were planted predominantly on large-scale farms. Since our 1999 Report was published, the area of GM crops in developing countries has doubled. The growth in cultivation of GM non-staple crops in developing countries is expected to continue over the coming years (see Figure 3.3).
Figure 3.3: Global area of legally planted GM crops, 1996-2002 (million hectares)
Figure3.3
| James C (2002) Preview, Global Status of Commercialized Transgenic Crops: 2002 ISAAA Brief No. 27 (Ithaca, NY: ISAAA). |
3.24 In China, GM varieties were grown on 51%, or two million hectares, of the land used for growing cotton. In India, GM cotton received regulatory approval in April 2002 and 45,000 hectares were subsequently planted. Indonesia has also recently introduced GM crops, which means that the three most populous countries in Asia have adopted the technology.22 3.25 While the rapidly increasing spread of GM crops is noteworthy, most GM food and feed crops, such as soybean or rice, have not yet been approved for commercial planting in Africa, Asia, or the Middle East. The exceptions are South Africa and the Philippines, where GM maize has been approved, and Argentina, where GM maize and soybean are grown. One of the main reasons for this pattern is that regulators in developing countries often opt for a highly conservative precautionary approach when deciding about the use of a new GM crop. Unresolved concerns about the safety of GM crops for human consumption and for the environment (see paragraphs 4.28-4.47), together with possible restrictions arising from international trade policies (see paragraphs 5.43-5.50) have been influential in this respect.
Footnotes21 James C (2002) Preview, Global Status of Commercialized Transgenic Crops: 2002 ISAAA Brief No. 27 (Ithaca, NY: ISAAA). This figure excludes those farmers who grew GM crops illegally, for which there is anecdotal evidence in Brazil, Pakistan and India during 2002.
22 James C (2002) Preview, Global Status of Commercialized Transgenic Crops: 2002 ISAAA Brief No. 27 (Ithaca, NY: ISAAA).