PPP Special 08 - Institut für Entwicklungs- und Agrarökonomik

17
Table 4.2 lists the farmers´ sources of information about the traits of this
new variety. Forty-eight per cent of the interviewed farmers received
information about Bt cotton from their seed dealers. Company
promotion (Mahyco) reached another 18 per cent.
Table 4.2:
Source of farmers’ knowledge concerning Bt cotton
Information Bt Cotton
Percentage of Farmers
Seed dealer 48
Company promotion 18
Other farmers 6
Media (radio, newspaper) 5
Agricultural department 1
Source: Field Survey, 2002
Informal interviews revealed that extension staff often had no
knowledge about the new technology.
Bt cotton was promoted, by companies and dealers as a high yielding
variety that would not need any pesticides because of its resistance to
pests. Farmers purchased Bt cotton seed despite its high price which
was about four times the price of conventional cotton. Seed agents
explained the high seed prices with their high yield potential.
Table 4.3: Farmers’ reason(s) for adopting Bt cotton, 2002
Reasons expressed by farmers
Percentage of Farmers
High yield 43
New variety 16
Less pesticide costs 15
Less expenses 7
Less pests 5
Source: Field Survey, 2002
Farmers’ reasons for adopting Bt cotton reflect widely reported
expectations about the Bt hybrid. Nearly half of the respondents said
that the expectation of high yields was their main reason for adoption
(see Table 4.3). The second reason, where farmers simply stated “new
varieties” may in fact refer to the same point.