who benefits from gm crops?

The report argues that GM crops are an extension of an unsustainable industrial agricultural model that benefits a few multinational corporations while harming smallholder farmers and the environment. It highlights the failure of herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant traits to reduce pesticide use, the emergence of resistant weeds and pests, and the socio-economic risks of seed monopolies. The document advocates for agroecology as a sustainable, farmer-led alternative to tackle hunger and malnutrition.

• GM crop adoption is highly concentrated in a few countries and limited to a small fraction of the global farming population. As of 2013, 18 million farmers in 27 countries grow GM crops, representing less than one per cent of the world farming population, with 92 per cent of these crops grown in just six countries: USA, Brazil, Argentina, India, Canada, and China.
• The vast majority of GM crops are designed for herbicide tolerance or insect resistance, failing to deliver on promises of improved nutrition or climate adaptation. Approximately 99 per cent of GM crops grown possess these two traits or a combination of both.
• Herbicide-tolerant GM crops have led to an increase in pesticide use due to the evolution of resistant weed species. In the US, 21 different weed species have developed resistance to glyphosate, and in Argentina, pesticide use increased ninefold from 1990 to 2013.
• Insect-resistant (Bt) crops are failing as pests evolve resistance to the toxins. In South Africa, stem borers developed resistance to Monsanto's MON810 maize, leading to the crop's withdrawal and replacement with a 'stacked' variety, MON8903.
• The biotech industry is characterized by extreme market concentration, with six companies—Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, Bayer, Dow, and BASF—controlling 100 per cent of the GM seed market and 76.1 per cent of global agrochemical sales.
• GM crops pose significant socio-economic risks to smallholder farmers, including increased debt due to high seed costs and the loss of traditional seed-saving practices. In Burkina Faso, the cost of Bt cotton seed was reported to be up to nine times more expensive than conventional seed.
• There is no scientific consensus on the safety of GM crops, and evidence suggests links between high pesticide use in GM areas and health issues. In Argentina's Chaco region, the rate of congenital birth defects is reported to have quadrupled following the approval of GM crops and agrochemicals.
• Bio-fortified 'Golden Rice' is not considered the most effective solution for vitamin A deficiency, as the best approach is a varied diet. The report notes that the project has faced public opposition and that its effectiveness in curing deficiency remains unproven.
• Agroecology is presented as a superior, sustainable alternative to GM crops, capable of increasing yields without expensive external inputs. For example, the 'push-pull' method in East Africa and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Kenya have demonstrated significant yield increases.

APA

Pispini, M., Schimpf, M., Lopez, J., & Chandrasekaran, K. (2014). who benefits from gm crops? Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/18-foei-who-benefits-report-mr.pdf

Chicago

Pispini, Myrto, Mute Schimpf, Juan Lopez, and Kirtana Chandrasekaran. who benefits from gm crops? Friends of the Earth International, 2014. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/18-foei-who-benefits-report-mr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pispini |first1=Myrto |last2=Schimpf |first2=Mute |last3=Lopez |first3=Juan |last4=Chandrasekaran |first4=Kirtana |title=who benefits from gm crops? |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=April 2014 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/18-foei-who-benefits-report-mr.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pispini2014who, author = {Pispini, Myrto and Schimpf, Mute and Lopez, Juan and Chandrasekaran, Kirtana}, title = {{who benefits from gm crops?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2014}, month = apr, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/18-foei-who-benefits-report-mr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }