Mumbai, India
July 11, 2007
Source: The
Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
(ASSOCHAM) via Monsanto
Company
Households have more income and
cost savings, and higher access to maternal care services, child
education and immunization
With adoption of BT cotton
technology, farmers engaged in cotton cultivation earned
additional income of Rs. 7039 crores in 2006; saved Rs.1600 on
pesticides use in their one hectare of farm land compared to
farmers growing conventional cotton hybrids; and had higher
access to social services important for family health and
welfare, according to two studies on “BT Cotton Farming in
India” released today by The Associated
Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
“The Socio-Economic Appraisal of BT Cotton Cultivation in India”
was undertaken byIndicus Analytics,an economics research group
in New Delhi that has been providing research inputs to Central
and State ministries, World Bank, UNICEF, USAID, and many other
national and international organizations.The study on “Economic
Benefits of BT Cotton Cultivation in India”wasconducted by IMRB
International.
The Indicus Analytics study covered more than 9000 farmers
across 467 villages and 28 districts of the eight cotton growing
states. It focused on the social benefits realized by farm
families as a result of higher incomes resulting from BT cotton
cultivation.
The IMRB International study on economic benefits covered nearly
6000 farmers from 111 Taluks of 37 districts, including 4188 BT
and BT II cotton farmers and 1793 other conventional cotton
farmers in nine cotton growing states.
Anil K. Agarwal, ASSOCHAM Immediate Past President, said that
both the studies have established the tremendous socio-economic
benefits that have accrued to the cotton farmers as a result of
the introduction of this technology.
Some of the major findings of the Indicus study include
increased maternal care services, higher levels of immunizations
and larger school enrollment for the children of BT farmers as
compared to non-BT farmers.
“This study proves that the average Indian cotton farmer who has
adopted BT cotton is leading a much better lifestyle over his
non-BT counterpart,” said Dr. Laveesh Bhandari, Director of
Indicus Analystics. “The impact of BT farming was found to be
positive on the women and children in the BT households. The
increased use of BT cotton cultivation has also had a positive
impact on the farming community.”
Women from BT households had a higher access to maternal care
services and children from BT households were found to have a
higher level of immunization as compared to children from non-BT
households. Children belonging to BT farming households showed
significantly higher school enrollment compared to their non-BT
counterparts in 5 out of 8 states surveyed.
BT cotton growing villages benefited greatly with an increased
access to services such as telephone systems, electricity,
drinking water, better internet connectivity, banking services,
and better access to markets with a corresponding increase in
shops and goods.
The Indicus study found that non-BT cotton farming households
tend to be worse off across a range of socio-economic
indicators. It was also observed that those who have taken up BT
recently are not as well off socio-economically as those who
took it up two or more years earlier. These results strongly
links BT cotton farming to overall socio-economic progress, not
merely linked to increase in income.
“The study indicates a strong relationship between the decision
to adopt new technology, including new seeds, changing attitudes
within a household and many opportunities for development that
come with adopting BT cotton,” said Dr. Bhandari.
The IMRB study also reports that pesticides consumption by BT
farmers in their one hectare of farm land is estimated at
Rs.1300 compared to Rs.2900 per hectare by farmers growing
conventional hybrids in nine cotton growing states of Andhra,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat,
Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Incremental benefits of BT over conventional cotton in 2006
include that net revenue per acre being Rs.7757 higher.
Percentage of gross revenue benefit was up by 162 percent.
“It is also clearly evident that a BT farmer has higher level of
income when compared to non-BT farmers,” said Nikhil Rawal,
Senior Vice President & Executive Director, IMRB International.
“Increased earnings are also seen in the reduced amount of
pesticide sprays required, amounting to 4.6 sprays less over
conventional hybrid seeds resulting in an average savings of Rs.
934 per acre for BT. farmers.”
Farmers who planted BT cotton in 2006 earned an additional Rs.
7039 crores in income, based on 8.77 million acreage penetration
achieved during this crop season. This increase in acreage and
number of farmers adopting BT is a testament to the continuing
success and acceptance of the technology in India, Rawal said.
The survey also indicates that there has been approximately 50
percent higher yield increase in BT fields in 2006, when
compared with conventional cotton fields.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF BT COTTON FARMING IN
INDIA |
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- In terms of
economic infrastructure and economic activity,
BT villages are clearly ahead when compared with
NonBT areas in terms of presence of permanent
markets (44 percent in BT villages vs. 35
percent in non-BT villages), greater penetration
of shops (24 percent vs. 18 percent), banking
(34 percent vs. 28 percent), and other areas.
- BT farming
households are found to be faring well on the
socio-economic front across a broad range of
parameters. Similarly, it is found that non-BT
cotton farming households tend to be worse off
across a range of socio-economic indicators.
- A farmer who
predominately grew BT cotton, compared to cotton
farmer not growing BT cotton, was more likely to
adopt better farming practices. Such practices
include cropping rotation, etc
The impacts of BT farming on members of a BT
household were found to have been positive in
many areas, especially for women and children.
- The women
belonging to BT households availed of
maternal services like antenatal checkups in
larger percentages than the corresponding
women from non-BT households. The same was
true for the case trained assistance at
birth when the birth took place at the
husband’s home (the most common location of
deliveries)
- Clear
progress was visible on the immunization
front among the BT predominant households.
The children from BT predominant households
(67 percent) were found to have higher
levels of immunization compared to children
belonging to non-BT households (62 percent).
- As regards
education, children belonging to BT farming
households show significantly higher
enrollment compared to their non-BT
counterparts in 5 out of 8 states surveyed.
|
ECONOMIC
BENEFITS OF BT COTTON FARMING IN INDIA
|
KEY
HIGHLIGHTS
-
Farmers who planted BT cotton in
2006 earned an additional Rs. 7039
crores in income, based on 8.77
million acreage penetration achieved
during this crop season. This
increase in acreage and number of
farmers adopting BT is a testament
to the continuing success and
acceptance of the technology in
India.
-
The survey confirms that there has
been approximately 50 percent higher
yield increase in BT fields in 2006,
when compared with conventional
cotton fields.
-
The number of sprays was about five
sprays less per acre for bollworms
in BT plants.
-
The net profit to farmers from BT
cultivation increased significantly
to 162 percent / Rs.7757 per acre.
-
The reduction in bollworm pesticide
sprays translated into an average
savings of Rs.934 per acre for BT
farmers. This transforms into a
benefit of Rs. 11.60/- for every Rs.
1/- spent for cultivating BT and Rs.
10.80/- for cultivating BT II
cotton.
-
The perception of an average farmer
on the future of BT farming in the
country seemed to be positive. At an
average 93 percent of the BT users
were satisfied with BT performance.
-
Farmers who have been growing BT for
the past few years also agreed to BT
cotton cultivation having impacted
their farming incomes positively.
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