Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 4 • Number 21 • 19th November 2004

Implications of Biotechnology in Sub-Saharan Africa

Discuss this articleShare your views with other visitors, and read what they have to say

A working paper by Kym Anderson and Lee Ann Jackson released by the World Bank Group in September concludes that there is a large potential for economic gains from using genetically modified (GM) crop technology in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The gains stem mostly from nutritionally enhanced GM wheat, according to the report. The estimated benefits are diminished only slightly by the EU’s current import regime for GM foods. A ban on GM crop imports in SSA countries, in deference to EU market demand for non-GM products, would result in losses to domestic consumers from protectionism that would exceed the small economic gain for domestic farmers that would gain access to the EU. The authors used the global economy-wide computable general equilibrium model known as GTAP for the study. Anderson and Jackson conclude that African countries need to assess whether they share the food safety and environmental concerns of Europeans regarding GM organisms. Otherwise, the authors note, they have much to gain from adopting GM crop varieties — especially second generation ones, such as golden rice, which has been genetically engineered to contain a higher level of vitamin A.

The full paper is available at http://econ.worldbank.org/files/38750_wps3411.pdf

“Implications of GMF Tech for Sub-Saharan Africa,” CROPBIOTECH UPDATE, 19 November 2004.