This entry is cross-posted on IFPRI’s Pakistan Strategy Support Program website. If you’d like more information on the PSSP program, please visit pssp.ifpri.info.Source: Flickr (abhisheksrivastava)Cotton production plays a significant role in Pakistan’s agriculture and economic growth. It contributes about 8 percent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, 17 percent in total employment generation and about 54 percent in foreign exchange earnings. Despite being the fourth largest producer and third largest consumer of cotton, Pakistan did not commercially approve Bt cotton varieties until 2010. 60 percent of the cotton area in 2007 was operating unapproved and unregulated adoption of Bt varieties.
Economic impact on the wellbeing of farmers after introduction of commercially approved Bt Cotton variety
The varying effect of Bt technology in diverse agro-climatic conditions
Yield gains for farmers according to the size of farm they own. For example, seeing impact on small scale farmers that own up to 5 acres of land versus large scale farmers that possess more than 5 acres of land.
IFPRI’s research is supporting these efforts. IFPRI Division Director Marie Ruel, quotes in the article, explains the complexity and broad approach needed:
“… nutrition can also be improved in all sorts of ways, including by better sanitation, which reduces intestinal diseases and enables people to absorb more nutrients; by investing in smallholder farming, to increase dietary variety; by vaccinating children against diseases; by educating women to breastfeed babies for longer, to improve immunity.
Ruel suggests priorities, saying: “focus on the first 1,000 days of life (including pregnancy); scale up maternal-health programmes and the teaching of good feeding practices; concentrate on the poor; measure and monitor the problem.”
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and information from the IFPRI South Asia Office
We use cookies on this site to improve the usability of this website. By clicking 'OK, I agree' button you are giving your consent for us to use cookies ... more info