Introduction of biotechnology in India's agriculture: impact, performance and economics

Table of contents

1. Introduction and objectives of the study
2. An overview of cotton in India
3. Development and adoption of Bt Cotton
4.Sampling and methodology of the study across the states
5. Nature and performance of Bt Cotton vs. non-Bt Cotton
6. Economics of Bt Cotton vs. non-Bt Cotton across the states
7. Farmers' perceptions on various features of Bt Cotton
8. Overall summary and conclusions
9. Cotton cultivation in Andhra Pradesh
10. Sampling and methodology
11. Nature and performance of Bt Cotton vs non-Bt Cotton In Andhra Pradesh
12. Economics of Bt Cotton vs non-Bt Cotton In Andhra Pradesh
13. Farmers' perceptions on various features of Bt Cotton in Andhra Pradesh
14. Cotton cultivation in Gujarat
16.Nature and performance of Bt Cotton vs. non-Bt Cotton in Gujarat
17. Economics of Bt Cotton vs. non-Bt Cotton in Gujarat
18. Farmers' perceptions on various features of Bt Cotton in Gujarat
19. Cotton cultivation in Maharashtra
20. Sampling and methodology
21. Nature and performance of Bt Cotton vs. non-Bt Cotton in Maharashtra
22. Economics of Bt Cotton vs. non-Bt Cotton in Maharashtra
23. Farmers' perceptions on various features of Bt Cotton in Maharashtra
24. Cotton cultivation in Tamil Nadu
25. Sampling and methodology
26. Nature and performance of Bt Cotton vs. non-Bt Cotton in Tamil Nadu
27. Economics of Bt Cotton vs. non-Bt Cotton in Tamil Nadu
28. Farmers' perceptions on various features of Bt Cotton in Tamil Nadu
References chapter 15: sampling and methodology.

Biotechnology can bring major breakthroughs in agriculture. The book examines the experience of the introduction of biotechnology in Indian agriculture, specifically, examining the performance of Bt cotton versus non-Bt cotton across India's major cotton states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, which together account for nearly 70 percent of the country's cotton production. Major advances in biotechnology have made it possible to directly identify genes, determine their functions, and transfer them from one organism to another. The advances have spawned many technologies and Bt cotton is one important outcome. Bt cotton has become one of the most widely cultivated transgenic crops and is currently grown in 21 countries - 11 developing and 10 industrialized countries. The Government of India was relatively late in permitting biotechnology, only approving the cultivation of three transgenic Bt cotton hybrids from April 2002. Many concerns were raised about their performance there was strong opposition from some quarters. In India, Gujarat and Maharastra were the first states to adopt them, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh. Based on a sample of 694 farming households, the book examines and analyzes the performance on the yields, pesticide costs, seed costs, overall production costs, and profits. It also reports on the environmental impacts, satisfaction with the technology and ways of improving its performance

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9789811010903