Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies

We assess 47 peer-reviewed articles that have applied stated economics methods to measure the farm-level impacts of Bt cotton in developing agriculture from 1996. We focus on methods, although findings are also contrasted and compared in qualitative terms. The central research question assessed by t...

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Autores principales: Smale, Melinda, Zambrano, Patricia, Cartel, Melodie
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2006
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172221
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author Smale, Melinda
Zambrano, Patricia
Cartel, Melodie
author_browse Cartel, Melodie
Smale, Melinda
Zambrano, Patricia
author_facet Smale, Melinda
Zambrano, Patricia
Cartel, Melodie
author_sort Smale, Melinda
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description We assess 47 peer-reviewed articles that have applied stated economics methods to measure the farm-level impacts of Bt cotton in developing agriculture from 1996. We focus on methods, although findings are also contrasted and compared in qualitative terms. The central research question assessed by the articles reviewed is: what are the current and potential advantages of transgenic cotton with respect to yield, pesticide use, input cost, revenue and/or profits at the farm-level, by farm type, and geographical region? We find that, while the evidence is promising, the balance sheet remains inconclusive & mdashin part because of some methodological limitations and in part because institutional and political context, which is mutable and often ignored, shapes economic impacts, especially over the longer-term. Most often, the contextual factors that influence whether a new variety succeeds or fails are more critical than whether yield advantages can be demonstrated in on-farm trials.
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spelling CGSpace1722212025-01-29T12:59:35Z Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies Smale, Melinda Zambrano, Patricia Cartel, Melodie cotton developing countries literature reviews transgenic plants yield increases varieties biotechnology We assess 47 peer-reviewed articles that have applied stated economics methods to measure the farm-level impacts of Bt cotton in developing agriculture from 1996. We focus on methods, although findings are also contrasted and compared in qualitative terms. The central research question assessed by the articles reviewed is: what are the current and potential advantages of transgenic cotton with respect to yield, pesticide use, input cost, revenue and/or profits at the farm-level, by farm type, and geographical region? We find that, while the evidence is promising, the balance sheet remains inconclusive & mdashin part because of some methodological limitations and in part because institutional and political context, which is mutable and often ignored, shapes economic impacts, especially over the longer-term. Most often, the contextual factors that influence whether a new variety succeeds or fails are more critical than whether yield advantages can be demonstrated in on-farm trials. 2006 2025-01-29T12:59:35Z 2025-01-29T12:59:35Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172221 en Open Access Smale, Melinda; Zambrano, Patricia; Cartel, Melodie. 2006. Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies. AgBioForum 9(3): 195-212. https://ssrn.com/abstract=964999
spellingShingle cotton
developing countries
literature reviews
transgenic plants
yield increases
varieties
biotechnology
Smale, Melinda
Zambrano, Patricia
Cartel, Melodie
Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies
title Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies
title_full Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies
title_fullStr Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies
title_full_unstemmed Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies
title_short Bales and balance: A review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of Bt cotton on farmers in developing economies
title_sort bales and balance a review of the methods used to assess the economic impact of bt cotton on farmers in developing economies
topic cotton
developing countries
literature reviews
transgenic plants
yield increases
varieties
biotechnology
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172221
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AT zambranopatricia balesandbalanceareviewofthemethodsusedtoassesstheeconomicimpactofbtcottononfarmersindevelopingeconomies
AT cartelmelodie balesandbalanceareviewofthemethodsusedtoassesstheeconomicimpactofbtcottononfarmersindevelopingeconomies