- In 2010, global adoption of biotech crops reached 148 million hectares, a 10% increase over 2009, with 29 countries now growing biotech crops. The US, Brazil, Argentina, India, and Canada led in biotech crop cultivation. - Biotech crops have provided significant economic and environmental benefits since 1996, including increased farmer income totaling $65 billion, higher crop yields on existing farmland helping to preserve biodiversity, and reductions in pesticide use and CO2 emissions. - Looking ahead to 2014-2015, new biotech crops with traits like drought tolerance and improved nutrition are expected to launch, along with greater cultivation in Asia and developing countries, helping to address future challenges of climate change

1. Biotech GM Crops
By
A.Arputha Selvaraj APMP IIM Calcutta

2. Few introductory/contextual slidesFew introductory/contextual slides
• ADOPTIONADOPTION, first 15 years, 1996 - 2010, first 15 years, 1996 - 2010
• IMPACTIMPACT of Biotech cropsof Biotech crops
• FUTUREFUTURE – 2014 – 2015 (MDG)– 2014 – 2015 (MDG)
Overview of PresentationOverview of Presentation

3. ISAAA – www.isaaa.org
A Not-for-Profit Charity, co-sponsored by public and private sector organizations
ISAAA is a Pro-Choice Organization
• Share knowledge freely on crop biotechnology whilst respecting the rights of
others to make their own decisions; ensure that the global community is well
informed about the attributes and potential of the new technologies
• MISSION - Contribute to poverty alleviation by increasing crop productivity and
income generation, particularly for small resource-poor farmers and to ensure a
safer and more sustainable environment

4. • NO SINGLE APPROACHNO SINGLE APPROACH will suffice to feed 9 billion peoplewill suffice to feed 9 billion people in 2050in 2050
• Conventional crop improvementConventional crop improvement ALONEALONE will notwill not double crop production bydouble crop production by
2050 –2050 – GM/BIOTECH CROPS NOT A PANACEAGM/BIOTECH CROPS NOT A PANACEA but essentialbut essential
• Successful strategy must haveSuccessful strategy must have MULTIPLE APPROACHESMULTIPLE APPROACHES that address all thethat address all the
principal issues that include:principal issues that include:
• Population stabilizationPopulation stabilization
• Improved food distribution systemsImproved food distribution systems
• A Technology Component isA Technology Component is ESSENTIALESSENTIAL –– A crop improvementA crop improvement
STRATEGY THAT INTEGRATES the BEST of the OLD (CONVENTIONAL)STRATEGY THAT INTEGRATES the BEST of the OLD (CONVENTIONAL)
and theand the BEST of the NEW (BIOTECH)BEST of the NEW (BIOTECH) to optimizeto optimize productivity andproductivity and
CONTRIBUTECONTRIBUTE to food, feed and fiber securityto food, feed and fiber security
The ChallengeThe Challenge - Double Crop Production by- Double Crop Production by
2050 –2050 – A StrategyA Strategy

5. • Can biotech crops produce moreCan biotech crops produce more affordable foodaffordable food,,
feed and fiber, and are theyfeed and fiber, and are they safesafe??
• Can biotech crops contribute to a moreCan biotech crops contribute to a more sustainablesustainable
environmentenvironment ??
• Can biotech crops help withCan biotech crops help with climate change byclimate change by
decreasing COdecreasing CO22 emissionsemissions??
• Can biotech crops contribute toCan biotech crops contribute to foodfood securitysecurity and toand to
thethe alleviation of poverty and hungeralleviation of poverty and hunger??
Global Society’s Questions re. BiotechGlobal Society’s Questions re. Biotech
CropsCrops

6. ADOPTIONADOPTION
OFOF
BIOTECH CROPSBIOTECH CROPS
1996 - 20101996 - 2010

7. Accumulated Global Area of Biotech Crops,1996/10
Biotech Crops Surge Over 1 Billion Hectares in 2010
Source: Clive James, 2011
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
0
494
988
1482
2471
1976
2965
M Acres
500 Million Hectares
1 Billion Hectares = USA land area
10 years 5 years

9. 10%
Increase over 2009
29 countries which have adopted
biotech crops
In 2010, global area of biotech
crops was 148 million hectares,
representing an increase of 10%
over 2009, equivalent to 14 million
hectares.
Source: Clive James, 2010.
Global Area (Million Hectares) of Biotech Crops, 2010: by Country
Biotech Mega Countries
50,000 hectares , or more
USA
Brazil*
Argentina*
India*
Canada
China*
Paraguay*
Pakistan*
South Africa*
Uruguay*
Bolivia*
Australia
Philippines*
Myanmar*
Burkina Faso*
Spain
Mexico*
66.8
25.4
22.9
9.4
8.8
3.5
2.6
2.4
2.2
1.1
0.9
0.7
0.5
0.3
0.3
0.1
0.1
Less than 50,000 hectares
* Developing countries
Colombia*
Chile*
Honduras*
Portugal
Czech Republic
Poland
Egypt*
Slovakia
Costa Rica*
Romania
Sweden
Germany
Million Hectares

10. • 1 billionth hectare planted in 2010 – same area as USA
• Increase from 25 to 29 countries; 3 new: Pakistan, Myanmar and
Sweden, and Germany resumed planting
• Strong 10% growth = 14 m. has. – 2nd
largest gain ever.
• 87-fold increase from 1996 to 2010 – fastest adopted crop
technology
• Top 10 countries each >1 m. has., 8 are developing
• 15.4 mill. biotech farmers, up 1.4 mill. – 90% or 14.4 million
were small and resource-poor farmers
• Stacked traits – 11 countries, 32 million hectares (22%)
SUMMARYSUMMARY –– 2010 HIGHLIGHTS2010 HIGHLIGHTS

11. IMPACT OF BIOTECH CROPSIMPACT OF BIOTECH CROPS

12. • IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY AND INCOMEIMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY AND INCOME – Farm income gains of– Farm income gains of $65 billion$65 billion
from 1996 to 2009,from 1996 to 2009, of which 44% was due to cost reduction and 56% due toof which 44% was due to cost reduction and 56% due to
a production gain ofa production gain of 229229 million tons; benefits conservative due spill-overmillion tons; benefits conservative due spill-over
from biotech to conventional.from biotech to conventional.
• PROTECT BIODIVERSITYPROTECT BIODIVERSITY –– Double crop production on same area of 1.5 billionDouble crop production on same area of 1.5 billion
hectares of crop landhectares of crop land –– save forests/biodiversitysave forests/biodiversity –– 13 m. has. loss/year in13 m. has. loss/year in
dev countries – 229 mill tons would have required an additional 75 milldev countries – 229 mill tons would have required an additional 75 mill
hectares – a land saving technologyhectares – a land saving technology
• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT –– Reduce need for external inputsReduce need for external inputs --
Saving of 393 mill. kg pesticidesSaving of 393 mill. kg pesticides from 1996/2009 -from 1996/2009 - 9% saved9% saved
-- Saved 18 bill. kg C0Saved 18 bill. kg C022 in 2009 -in 2009 - contribution to climate changecontribution to climate change
- Conservation of soil & WATER- Conservation of soil & WATER thru biotech + no/low tillthru biotech + no/low till
• SOCIAL BENEFITSSOCIAL BENEFITS
- Contribution to- Contribution to poverty alleviationpoverty alleviation of 14.4 million small resource-poorof 14.4 million small resource-poor
farmers in 2010 &farmers in 2010 & welfare benefitswelfare benefits emergingemerging
GLOBAL IMPACT of BIOTECH CROPSGLOBAL IMPACT of BIOTECH CROPS
Source: Brookes and Barfoot forthcoming, and Clive James, 2011Source: Brookes and Barfoot forthcoming, and Clive James, 2011

13. THE FUTURETHE FUTURE
2014 - 2015,2014 - 2015,
THE REMANING One YEAR OF THE SECONDTHE REMANING One YEAR OF THE SECOND
DECADE OF COMMERCIALIZATIONDECADE OF COMMERCIALIZATION
2015, The Millennium Development Goals Year2015, The Millennium Development Goals Year

14. • Many new crop/traitMany new crop/trait options will be ready before 2015options will be ready before 2015
• Drought toleranceDrought tolerance–principal trait–maize in US 2012/13–principal trait–maize in US 2012/13
• Biotech riceBiotech rice –– majormajor crop, up to 1 billion beneficiariescrop, up to 1 billion beneficiaries
• Quality traitsQuality traits –– Golden Rice in 2013, omega-3, othersGolden Rice in 2013, omega-3, others
• More biotech crops developed by countries from the South in public inst. –More biotech crops developed by countries from the South in public inst. – moremore
South-South cooperationSouth-South cooperation
• Biotech applications forBiotech applications for “Speeding the breeding”“Speeding the breeding” –– MAS and biotech crops, toMAS and biotech crops, to
provide a faster response to more severe and rapid changes in climate changeprovide a faster response to more severe and rapid changes in climate change
• Asia will grow more in 2nd decadeAsia will grow more in 2nd decade than first decadethan first decade
The FutureThe Future –– 2014-2015. A WAVE OF2014-2015. A WAVE OF
NEW & IMPROVED BIOTECH CROPSNEW & IMPROVED BIOTECH CROPS

15. ISAAA Prediction for 2ISAAA Prediction for 2ndnd
Decade, 2006-2015Decade, 2006-2015
2006 2010 2015
# of Biotech
Countries
22 29 ~ 40
# of Farmers
Planting
Biotech Crops
10 Million 15.4
Million
~ 20
Million
Global Biotech
Area
m. hectares
100 Million
Hectares
148 Million
Hectares
~200
Million
Hectares

16. Biotech crops, are a product of
INNOVATION
“the ability to manage change as an
opportunity, not as a threat”

17. Thanks
• Write to Author : arputhaselvaraj@gmail.com