Rani, S.U. and Selvaraj, G. (2009) Empirical analysis of adoption and impact of Bt. cotton cultivation in cotton production systems of Tamil Nadu, India. Agricultural Situation in India, 66 (9). pp. 545-552.
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Abstract
Nations's first transgenic crop "Bt cotton" was approved for commercial cultivation in India in March 2002. The area under this technology increased from a few thousand acres in 2002 to more than 69.24 lakh hectares in 2008 and expected to generate outcome in terms of economic, ecological and social benefits. Significant economic impact, high yield, low level of labour and pesticide use, high producer price and decrease in volume of insecticides sprayed were the few changes observed by the countries adopting Bt cotton worldwide. In India also, this technology contributed for increase in area, high yield, high net return, low level of pesticide and labour use and low cost of production. Studies that attempted to add up Bt cotton impact to a national level of international level accounted only the economic impact and in some studies the environmental impact. They did not account for the adoption behaviour of Bt cotton growers with respect to certain techniques pertaining to Bt cotton alone viz., refugia and the changes the technology created in cotton production system in the perspectives of end users. To assess the impact of adopting Bt cotton in Indian cotton production systems, an empirical study was conducted among 120 cotton growers under irrigated and rainfed conditions of Tamil Nadu. This study based on a sample survey, farmers' perceptions and farm records, investigated the farm level changes created by the introduction of Bt cotton. The study revealed that majority of the Bt cotton growers sensed that there was reduction in the population of boll worms, damage of cotton squares and bolls, and reduction in number of insecticidal sprays from twelve to two. The number of pesticides sprays and usage of major chemical pesticides in cotton were also reduced due to Bt cotton. Increase in yield, reduction in labour engagement, fuel and machineries use and improvement in family and farm labour health status were few impact felt by the respondents in cotton farming due to the technology. The study also reveals that majority of the respondents were not adopting the refugia technology. It adds information on certain constraints faced by them in Bt cotton adoption
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Author Affiliation: | Central Institute for Cotton Research, Regional Station, Coimbatore - 641 003, India |
| Subjects: | Plant Production |
| Divisions: | Other Crops |
| Depositing User: | Ms K Syamalamba |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Sep 2011 08:59 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Sep 2011 08:59 |
| URI: | http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/2697 |
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