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Dr. Clive James


Position: Chairman and Founder, ISAAA (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications)

Education: Ph.D., Cambridge University; B.S. Agriculture, University of Wales

Notable: Former Senior Agricultural Adviser to the Canadian Bilateral Aid Agency (CIDA) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations; Author of Annual Reviews on the Global Status of GM Crops since 1996

Here is a technology that is not only scale neutral, but delivers more benefits to the poor.
Here is a technology that is not only scale neutral, but delivers more benefits to the poor.
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GLOBAL ACREAGE OF BIOTECH CROPS SOARS
ISAAA Chairman Dr. Clive James Notes Importance of Agriculture in Developing Countries

Editor’s Note:  This interview was conducted with Dr. James in 2006 and references data from his 2005 report.  A more recent interview summarizing the key results and statistics on genetically modified crops from his 2007 report is also available.

Since first commercialized, global planted area of genetically modified (GM) crops has increased by more than fifty-fold from 4.2 million acres (1.7 million hectares) in six countries in 1996 to 222 million acres (90 million hectares) in 21 countries in 2005, according to a report authored by Dr. Clive James, chairman and founder of ISAAA — the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications.

“If you look at the first decade of commercialization, it has been incredibly successful — generating approximately US$27 billion at the global level, US$15 billion of that in developing countries,” says Dr. James, who knows the importance of agriculture in developing countries after living and working for the past 25 years in the developing countries of Asia, Latin America and Africa. Dr. James has devoted his efforts to agricultural research and development issues with a focus on crop biotechnology and global food security.

When biotech crops were first commercialized, critics suggested the technology would never be valuable in the developing world. “Here is a technology that is not only scale neutral, but delivers more benefits to the poor,” says Dr. James. “For example, in the U.S., you would expect, on average, to increase productivity by five percent if you use Bt maize to control European corn borer. In the Philippines ... that increase is 40 percent.”

In 2005, resource-poor farmers in developing countries accounted for 90 percent of the 8.5 million growers who realized the benefits of biotech crops. “Another important result in 2005 was that the number of countries growing this technology increased from 17 in 2004 to 21 in 2005,” Dr. James continues. “Important to note who those countries were — three of them were in the European Union. France and Portugal resumed the planting of Bt maize, and the Czech Republic planted Bt maize for the first time.”

The Executive Summary of Dr. James’ report — Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2005 — provides detailed information on the global area, adoption and value of biotech crops, as well as distribution of biotech crops by country, crop and trait.

© 2006 Monsanto Company. All rights reserved. The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.

Video Transcript



Editor’s Note:  This interview was conducted with Dr. James in 2006 and references data from his 2005 report.  A more recent interview summarizing the key results and statistics on genetically modified crops from his 2007 report is also available.

I’m Clive James.  I’m the chairman and founder of an organization called ISAAA … It’s a not-for-profit organization whose objective is to try and alleviate hunger and poverty in the countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America — by sharing technology.

… 2005 was a very important year.  It’s the tenth anniversary … of the commercialization of crop biotech … We planted our billionth acre in 2005.  This is the accumulated acreage over the 10-year period.  That is the fastest adoption of any crop technology in recent history.  …

There was double-digit growth every single year between 1996 and 2005.  That is quite unprecedented.  And what it tells you is that this is the vote of confidence of farmers that have used this technology …

Another important result in 2005 was that the number of countries growing this technology increased from 17 in 2004 to 21 in 2005.  Important to note who those countries were.  Three of them were in the European Union: France and Portugal resumed the planting of Bt maize, and the Czech Republic planted Bt maize for the first time.  …

So if you look at the first decade of commercialization, it has been incredibly successful, generating approximately $27 billion at the global level — $15 billion of that in developing countries …

… The number of farmers growing biotech crops in 2005 was 8.5 million.  More amazingly, 90 percent of them — or 7.7 million — were resource-poor farmers in developing countries. …

… And I believe the most important lesson that we’ve had from the first 10 years is that this is a technology that can generate significant and multiple commercial benefits in industrial countries.  But in the hands of the poorest of the poor, it can also generate socio-economic humanitarian benefits, which will allow us to alleviate hunger and poverty.  …

… Who are the hungry?.  … 60 percent are resource—poor farmers.  Another 20 percent are the landless that are completely dependent on agriculture for their livelihood.  So poverty and hunger today is a rural phenomenon.  And here we have a technology that can make a very significant contribution to the alleviation of poverty and hunger.  …

Here is a technology that is not only scale neutral, but delivers more benefits to the poor.  … For example, in the U.S., you would expect, on average, to increase productivity by five percent if you use Bt maize to control European corn borer.  In the Philippines … that increase is 40 percent.  …

So not only do you get the material benefits from this technology, but the humanitarian benefits.  And I believe — at the end of the day — humanitarian benefits will be much more important, relatively speaking, if, in fact, we want to live in a just society tomorrow.

© 2006 Monsanto Company.  All rights reserved. The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.