Andhra Pradesh, India
For the past three years, Monsanto and its Indian subsidiary Mahyco-Monsanto have been dazzling the world with hype over the huge ‘improvements’ its genetically engineered Bt cotton has been bringing to Indian farmers. A new report paints a completely different picture of a crop that does not perform as well as its rivals and does not live up to its promises of reductions in pesticides
use(1).
Over the same period, the Deccan Development Society and the Andhra Pradesh Coalition in Defence of Diversity have also looked at Bt cotton’s performance in the field with farmers. This is not just some limited ‘participatory’ evaluation of performance either, although the project did engage with farmers and involve them in the research; it gathered and presents solid scientific data as well. For example, rainfed cotton farmers obtained three-year yield averages that were 150kgs higher with non-Bt hybrids than with Bt cotton, at a lower cost of production. Pesticides use between the two crops is virtually the same. Rather than Monsanto’s claimed income increases, most farmers made losses with Bt cotton. Bt cotton also appears to lead to Rhizoctonia root rots and degraded soil fertility.
Three Bt hybrids were approved in Andhra Pradesh from April 2002 to March 2005. The study examined mainly the Warangal district of the State, where 16% of the district is under cotton. Some farmers were followed very closely with fortnightly visits for data collection. Structured interviews recorded income and expenditure on Bt and non-Bt cotton every fortnight from sowing to harvest. Focus groups with a wider pool of farmers were also conducted. In 2003, the study was able to survey some 20% of all farmers in Warangal.
Over the three years, Bt cotton average yields were lower than non-Bt cotton; in 2002/3, the Bt cotton yield was dramatically lower, while in 2003/4 and 2004/5 it was roughly equivalent. Net economic returns were lower for Bt cotton in all three years. Pest management costs were virtually similar. The average price paid for Bt seed cotton was slightly lower on the market. Seventy one percent of farmers reported losses on their Bt cotton as against 18% of non-Bt cotton farmers. The use of pesticides was not reduced according to 66% of farmers. In 2004-5, pest management costs were actually lower in non-Bt cotton for the smallest farmers and for small farmers under rainfed conditions. In all, Bt cotton cost 16% more than growing non-Bt hybrids, compared to the industry’s claims of 30% savings.
Monsanto’s Bt cotton was also compared to cotton hybrids grown without chemical pesticides and like other non-Bt hybrids gave lower production costs and higher yields.
The DVD that accompanies this report is fascinating, with interviews shot by non-literate women, it offers a compelling testimonial to the documented failure of BT cotton.
South Africa
The outcome of the Indian study has been supported by a new report on another claimed Bt cotton success story, the Makhathini flats in South
Africa(2). This five year study on the socio-economic impacts of Bt cotton on small farmers by Biowatch South Africa contradicts success claims made by the GM industry. Bt cotton is like any other cotton variety – sometimes it works, sometimes it fails and failure is often due to external factors and not the variety planted. Adoption rates for Bt cotton have fallen dramatically from initial take up. The area planted has also fallen; only four farmers of 36 surveyed made a profit and debt was huge, at US $1,322 per farmer with 80% having defaulted. Pesticides use is not reduced sustainably. Pesticides savings have also been low, as chemicals were ‘underused’ in the area previously, and secondary pests are an increasing problem, especially stink bugs.
1. Abdul Qayum and Kiran Sakkhari Bt Cotton in Andhra Pradesh: a three-year assessment The first ever sustained independent scientific study of Bt cotton in India Deccan Development Society, Andhra Pradesh Coalition in Defence of Diversity and Permaculture Association of India May 2005 http://www.ddsindia.com/ full text at http://www.ddsindia.com/PDF/BT_Cotton_-_A_three_year_report.pdf (2MB)
2. Elfrieda Pschorn-Strauss Bt cotton in South Africa GRAIN April 2005, http://www.grain.org/
seedling/?id=330[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 68, June 2005, page 23]