Seed Today - Q1 2009 - (Page 74)

Farmer Suicides in India The Bt Cotton Connection (Or Is There One?) This article is based on the International Food Policy Research Institute’s (IFPRI) Oct. 2008 report on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton and farmer suicides in India. The report can be found at http://www.ifpri.org/ pubs/dp/IFPRIDPoo8o8.pdf. Despite its obvious commercial success in India, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton remains highly controversial in the country, as it is blamed as one of the factors leading to a resurgence of farmer suicides. However, results from a study conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) released in October 2008, provide evidence that suicide among farmers in India has several causes, but Bt cotton is not a major factor. The IFPRI, established in 1975 and based in Washington, DC, is one of 15 agricultural research centers that receive principal funding from governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations, most of which are members of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The study, Bt Cotton and Farmer Suicides in India: Reviewing the Evidence, conducted by Guillaume P. Gruere, Purvi Mehta-Bhatt and Debdatta Sengupta, uses statistical data taken from the National Crime Records Bureau, which shows that approximately 17,000 farmers commit suicide each year in India. new Bt varieties of cotton genetically make it resistant to cotton bollworms. At that time, says the study, a total of 135 hybrid Bt cotton varieties was available in India. In 2006, Bt cotton covered 3.8 million hectares, or more than 39 percent of the total cotton area. During this time, the area of Bt cotton in India exceeded that of China, making India the leader of Bt cotton area in Asia. In 2008, India exceeded cotton pro- duction of the United States. Farmer Suicide in India According to the study, more than 4,500 cases of farmer suicides were reported in the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra between 2001 and 2007. In most cases, says the study, male farmers committed suicide after experiencing failed crops and increased indebtedness. Despite the recent media hype sur- History of Bt Cotton in India The introduction of Bt cotton has likely played a significant role in increased cotton production in India due to its observed contribution to a period of high cotton productivity growth. Since 2002, India has rapidly increased its production of cotton, becoming the second-largest producer of cotton in the world. In July 2007, the Indian government approved the commercialization of 73 74 First Quarter 2009 http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/dp/IFPRIDPoo8o8.pdf http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/dp/IFPRIDPoo8o8.pdf

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Seed Today - Q1 2009

Seed Today - Q1 2009 Contents Editor’s Notes Tri-State Seed LLC Blue Mountain Seed, Inc. Clearwater Seed According to ASTA Risa DeMasi Crystal Fricker AOSCA AOSA/SCST Oxbo International Hamer LLC Perten Insturments Taylor Products BinMaster Level Controls Dean Cavey Farmer Suicides in India: A Social Concern Unrelated to Bt Cotton Ad Index

Seed Today - Q1 2009

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