Differentiated early performance of Bt cotton: Case in Burkina Faso

Abstract

The economic benefit of transgenic crops for producers in developing countries remains a matter of concern and controversy. Only a few studies have taken into account differences between producers to understand the variable effects of transgenic crops, particularly in the case of Bt cotton incorporating Bacillus thuringiensis genes for resistance to certain cotton pests. Our assessment study deals with Burkina Faso where the large-scale release of Bt cotton occurred in 2009, and was then suspended in 2016. It addresses the cultivation practices of producers, in farms differentiated by their level of ox-drawn equipment, on the first year of Bt cotton large adoption and dissemination of recommendations for an adapted insecticide protection. We found that Bt cotton increased yields, but to a lesser extent than expected; moreover, an increase in profitability was only observed in farms with a good ox-drawn equipment (the healthiest ones), but not for the others representing 58% of all farms. This is the result of worst-off producers’ strategies, consisting in reducing cash expenses in fertilizers and insecticide, which were further exacerbated by the high price of Bt cottonseeds. The case study points out that the early impacts of a new technology depend on its price and on taking into account, or not, the behaviour of the poorest producers.