Global Status of Commercialized Biotech Crops: 2004

2004 is the penultimate year of the first decade of the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) or transgenic crops, now often called biotech crops. In 2004, the global area of biotech crops continued to grow for the ninth consecutive year at a sustained double-digit growth rate of 20%, compared with 15% in 2003. The estimated global area of approved biotech crops for 2004 was 81.0 million hectares, equivalent to 200 million acres, up from 67.7 million hectares or 167 million acres in 2003.

Biotech crops were grown by approximately 8.25 million farmers in 17 countries in 2004, up from 7 million farmers in 18 countries in 2003. Notably, 90% of the beneficiary farmers were resource-poor farmers from developing countries, whose increased incomes from biotech crops contributed to the alleviation of poverty. The increase in biotech crop area between 2003 and 2004, of 13.3 million hectares or 32.9 million acres, is the second highest on record.

In 2004, there were fourteen biotech mega-countries (compared with ten in 2003), growing 50,000 hectares or more, 9 developing countries and 5 industrial countries; they were, in order of hectarage, USA, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, China, Paraguay, India, South Africa, Uruguay, Australia, Romania, Mexico, Spain and the Philippines. During the period 1996-2004, the accumulated global biotech crop area was 385 million hectares or 951 million acres, equivalent to 40% of the total land area of the USA or China, or 15 times the total land area of the UK. The continuing rapid adoption of biotech crops reflects the substantial improvements in productivity, the environment, economics, health and social benefits realized by both large and small farmers, consumers and society in both industrial and developing countries.

During the nine-year period 1996 to 2004, global area of biotech crops increased more than 47 fold, from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 81.0 million hectares in 2004, with an increasing proportion grown by developing countries. More than one-third (34%) of the global biotech crop area of 81 million hectares in 2004, equivalent to 27.6 million hectares, was grown in developing countries where growth continued to be strong. It is noteworthy that the absolute growth in biotech crop area between 2003 and 2004 was, for the first time, higher for developing countries (7.2 million hectares) than for industrial countries (6.1 million hectares), with the percentage growth almost three times as high (35%) in the developing countries of the South, compared with the industrial countries of the North (13%). The increased hectarage and impact of the five principal developing countries (China, India, Argentina, Brazil and South Africa) growing biotech crops is an important trend with implications for the future adoption and acceptance of biotech crops worldwide. In 2004, the number of developing countries growing biotech crops (11) was almost double the number of industrial countries (6) adopting biotech crops.

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Chicken gives up genetic secrets

Scientists have published a detailed analysis of the chicken genome, the biochemical "code" in the bird's cells that makes the animal what it is.

The data should help us understand better our own biology and may give us fresh insight on avian-borne diseases such as salmonella and bird flu.

It could also lead to a step-change in the food industry with the development of more productive and healthier birds.

The International Chicken Sequencing Consortium reports its work in Nature.


Scientists Find Gene Clue in Hunt for AIDS Vaccine

Scientists have identified key genes involved in the body's response to HIV, which causes AIDS, a finding that could narrow the search for an effective vaccine against the deadly illness.

A vaccine is considered the Holy Grail in the battle against the global AIDS epidemic but efforts to find one have been hampered because of HIV's uncanny ability to mutate.

"We have narrowed down the focus of which particular genes are important in determining the outcome of HIV infection," said Dr Philip Goulder, of the Partners AIDS Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States.

"It tells us where to look, what to put into a vaccine in broad terms, and perhaps what needs to be excluded."

He and his colleagues focused their research on genes called HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-C which produce molecules that sit on the surface of cells. They tell immune system killer T-cells when new viruses are produced within an infected cell and should be destroyed.