CBN-V Video Archives - S1-19
Genetic Resources and Germplasm Conservation in the Genus Manihot: A Preliminary Comparison of the Potential Welfare and Employment Effects of Herbicide Tolerant, High Yielding, or Mechanized Cassava in Different Markets in Colombia

Pachico D. and L. Rivas
CIAT, AA 67-13, Cali, Colombia d.pachico@cgiar.org

        The most widespread trait produced by genetic engineering in current agricultural use is herbicide tolerance. This paper begins to appraise the potential of such a trait in tropical agriculture by comparing the economic welfare and employment effects of transgenic herbicide tolerant cassava with two technical options that are feasible with conventional breeding: high yielding cassava or cassava apt for mechanized planting and harvest. First, a model is constructed of the Colombian cassava sector with six producing regions and three alternative markets-fresh cassava, starch, and cassava chips for animal feed. The welfare effects of technical change for producers in the different regions, and consumer benefits from the three technologies are compared for the different end uses of cassava, and aggregate employment effects are also estimated. Second, a model is constructed of the processing chain for cassava starch and dry chips in order to examine in more detail the distribution of welfare through the processing chain. Third, the potential welfare impacts of the three technologies are assessed for different classes of farmers with different cost structures and labor availability: commercial, semi-commercial, and small family farms. Limitations of the study are noted along with the implications of the findings for the potential for herbicide tolerance in cassava.

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