Graham Brookes, a biotechnology expert from PG Economics UK, has affirmed the significant reduction of greenhouse gases and other substances that intensify global heating through the massive cultivation of genetically-modified crops worldwide.

In a recent address to officers and members of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP) led by its new president Dr. Nina G. Barzaga in Ortigas Center, Brookes said that GM cultivation has yielded positive results on three counts - pesticide reduction, carbon emissions and global farm income.

Over the last 10 years, the British experts said, there was a slash of 224 million kilos in the use of pesticides and a 15 percent cut in "associated environmental impact."

As far as carbon emissions are concerned, global research disclosed that in 2005, there was reduction of 9 billion kilos of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to taking off 4 million cars off the road for an entire year, which is 17 percent of all the cars registered in the United Kingdom.

Throughout the 10 years when GM crops were cultivated, he revealed, farm incomes grew by $ 27 billion.

It also meant adding value to GM crop production between 3.6 percent and 4 percent for the same year.

Brookes told Barzaga that in 2005 alone, the farm income benefit from growing GM crops was $ 5.6 billion, with 55 percent of farm income gain noted in developing countries.

For GM soybeans, the increase in farm incomes from 1996 to 2005 was $ 11.686 billion while for GM HT (herbicide tolerant) corn, it was $ 795 million, while for GM HT cotton it was $ 927 million.

As to GM canola, the gain was $ 893 million, while for GM IR (insect resistant) corn, it was $ 2.367 billion.

The highest figure was for GM IR cotton, which was $ 7.51 billion.
For the other crops, the gain was $ 66 million for the same period.

Brookes said that farm income gain was highest in the United States at $ 12.9 billion, Argentina with $ 5.4 billion, China with $ 5.2 billion, Brazil with $ 1.4 billion, Canada with $ 1 billion, India with $ 463 million, Australia with $ 154 million, Paraguay with $ 132 million, South Africa with $ 76 million and Mexico with $ 55 million.

The British expert said GM crops generally reduced energy and machinery costs, improved crop quality and better health and safety for workers and farmers, with GM HT crops facilitate no till practices, cleaner crops with less harvest cost and less damage in follow-on crops.