Assessing the real cost of Burkina Faso’s decision to phase out GMO cotton

Assessing the real cost of Burkina Faso’s decision to phase out GMO cotton
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Language: English

Publication Year: 2017

When cotton traders in Burkina Faso announced in 2015 that they were phasing out the cultivation of genetically modified cotton, they attributed it to losing 50 billion CFA (US$89.5 million) in five of the seven seasons the nation had grown the variety. The GM seeds were producing cotton with shorter fibers, which produces a lower quality fabric, so trading
companies had to discount their prices on the international market. As a result, they directed farmers to stop growing GM cotton and return to conventional varieties. But the profits of trading companies and mills aren’t the only consideration. A national study has shown that the introduction of GM cultivars in Burkina Faso led to a 22 percent increase in yield over conventional cultivars and farming households recorded an average profit gain of 51 percent.

Topic

Bt , GMO

Content Pillars

Combatting Misinformation , Food Security

Focus Area

Agricultural Biotechnology , Science Communication

Keywords

Bt cotton, Pesticide, GMO, Bollworm, Bacteria, Burkina Faso

Country

Burkina Faso

Published Date

19 Dec 2017

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