Pro-farmers outcomes from differentiated rules in introducing Bt varieties in an administered cotton sector in china
- Abstract
- Comparative studies in a few developing countries tend to confirm the positive outcomes of using genetically modified varieties (GMVs) of cotton, particularly in China. Through a recent survey we conducted in Hebei Province of this country, we obtained fresh information that refutes, at least in China, certain arguments against the dissemination of GMVs in developing countries. We nevertheless doubt that similar positive outcomes could be extrapolated to other developing countries. The Chinese government succeeded in imposing specific institutional arrangements to facilitate farmers' access to Bt-cotton technology at reasonable cost and to take advantage of the current competition between national and foreign varieties. Most developing countries can only benefit from Chinese experience by acknowledging that the provision of the Bt-cotton technology has become more competitive worldwide and take advantage of this competition to reduce the cost of its adoption.
- English abstract
- Comparative studies in a few developing countries tend to confirm the positive outcomes of using genetically modified varieties (GMVs) of cotton, particularly in China. Through a recent survey we conducted in Hebei Province of this country, we obtained fresh information that refutes, at least in China, certain arguments against the dissemination of GMVs in developing countries. We nevertheless doubt that similar positive outcomes could be extrapolated to other developing countries. The Chinese government succeeded in imposing specific institutional arrangements to facilitate farmers' access to Bt-cotton technology at reasonable cost and to take advantage of the current competition between national and foreign varieties. Most developing countries can only benefit from Chinese experience by acknowledging that the provision of the Bt-cotton technology has become more competitive worldwide and take advantage of this competition to reduce the cost of its adoption.