The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh
We implemented a cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of genetically modified eggplant (Bt brinjal) in Bangladesh. Our two primary outcomes were changes in yield and in pesticide costs. Cultivation of Bt brinjal raises yields by 3,564 kg/ha. This statistically significant impact...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
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Agricultural and Applied Economics Association
2021
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/142322 |
| _version_ | 1855516316884008960 |
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| author | Ahmed, Akhter Hoddinott, John F. Abedin, Naveen Hossain, Nusrat |
| author_browse | Abedin, Naveen Ahmed, Akhter Hoddinott, John F. Hossain, Nusrat |
| author_facet | Ahmed, Akhter Hoddinott, John F. Abedin, Naveen Hossain, Nusrat |
| author_sort | Ahmed, Akhter |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | We implemented a cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of genetically modified eggplant (Bt brinjal) in Bangladesh. Our two primary outcomes were changes in yield and in pesticide costs. Cultivation of Bt brinjal raises yields by 3,564 kg/ha. This statistically significant impact is equivalent to a 51% increase relative to the control group. There is a statistically significant fall in pesticide costs, 7,175 Taka per hectare (85 USD per ha), a 37.5% reduction. Yield increases arise because Bt farmers harvest more eggplant and because fewer fruits are discarded because they are damaged. Bt brinjal farmers sell more eggplant and receive a higher price for the output they sell while incurring lower input costs, resulting in a 128% increase in net revenues. Bt brinjal farmers used smaller quantities of pesticides and sprayed less frequently. Bt brinjal reduced the toxicity of pesticides as much as 76%. Farmers growing Bt brinjal and who had pre‐existing chronic conditions consistent with pesticide poisoning were 11.5% points less likely to report a symptom of pesticide poisoning and were less likely to incur cash medical expenses to treat these symptoms. Our results are robust to changes in model specification and adjustment for multiple hypothesis testing. We did not find evidence of heterogeneous effects by farmer age, schooling, or land cultivated. Bt brinjal is a publicly developed genetically modified organism that conveys significant productivity and income benefits while reducing the use of pesticides damaging to human and ecological health. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace142322 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publishDateRange | 2021 |
| publishDateSort | 2021 |
| publisher | Agricultural and Applied Economics Association |
| publisherStr | Agricultural and Applied Economics Association |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1423222025-02-24T06:48:44Z The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh Ahmed, Akhter Hoddinott, John F. Abedin, Naveen Hossain, Nusrat crops capacity development eggplants pesticides yields genetically modified organisms We implemented a cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of genetically modified eggplant (Bt brinjal) in Bangladesh. Our two primary outcomes were changes in yield and in pesticide costs. Cultivation of Bt brinjal raises yields by 3,564 kg/ha. This statistically significant impact is equivalent to a 51% increase relative to the control group. There is a statistically significant fall in pesticide costs, 7,175 Taka per hectare (85 USD per ha), a 37.5% reduction. Yield increases arise because Bt farmers harvest more eggplant and because fewer fruits are discarded because they are damaged. Bt brinjal farmers sell more eggplant and receive a higher price for the output they sell while incurring lower input costs, resulting in a 128% increase in net revenues. Bt brinjal farmers used smaller quantities of pesticides and sprayed less frequently. Bt brinjal reduced the toxicity of pesticides as much as 76%. Farmers growing Bt brinjal and who had pre‐existing chronic conditions consistent with pesticide poisoning were 11.5% points less likely to report a symptom of pesticide poisoning and were less likely to incur cash medical expenses to treat these symptoms. Our results are robust to changes in model specification and adjustment for multiple hypothesis testing. We did not find evidence of heterogeneous effects by farmer age, schooling, or land cultivated. Bt brinjal is a publicly developed genetically modified organism that conveys significant productivity and income benefits while reducing the use of pesticides damaging to human and ecological health. 2021-08-01 2024-05-22T12:10:19Z 2024-05-22T12:10:19Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/142322 en https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133412 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147222 Open Access Agricultural and Applied Economics Association Ahmed, Akhter; Hoddinott, John F.; Abedin, Naveen; and Hossain, Nusrat. 2021. The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 103(4): 1186-1206. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajae.12162 |
| spellingShingle | crops capacity development eggplants pesticides yields genetically modified organisms Ahmed, Akhter Hoddinott, John F. Abedin, Naveen Hossain, Nusrat The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh |
| title | The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh |
| title_full | The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh |
| title_short | The impacts of GM foods: Results from a randomized controlled trial of Bt eggplant in Bangladesh |
| title_sort | impacts of gm foods results from a randomized controlled trial of bt eggplant in bangladesh |
| topic | crops capacity development eggplants pesticides yields genetically modified organisms |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/142322 |
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