Bt-Cotton Commercialization : Case Study of Colombia Dr. Waturu C N Centre Director KARI-Thika

1. Bt-Cotton Commercialization : Case Study of Colombia Dr. Waturu C N Centre Director KARI-Thika P.O. Box 220, Thika, Kenya Presented at the Open Forum For Biotechnology (OFAB), September 27th 2012, Nairobi (email:karithika@africaonline.co.ke)

2. Presentation Outline • About Colombia • Cotton Production • Cotton Research • Commercialization of Transgenic Cotton • Lessons from Colombia • Appreciation • Colombia Pictorial • Acknowledgement Bt Cotton Project

3. Colombia Bt Cotton Project

4. About Colombia • Located Northern tip of South America bordering Caribbean sea, Atlantic and Pacific oceans • Borders Venezuela, Brazil, Perú, Ecuador and Panama • Administrative divisions include 32 departments and one capital district • Land area is 1, 141, 748 km2 • Current population is 46,295,000 Bt-Cotton Project

5. Cotton Production Bt Cotton Project

6. Cotton Producing Areas of Colombia Cotton production concentrated in two regions oceans Northwest-Atlantic coast (35,000-60% ha/year) South central interior (20,000-40% ha/year) oceans Coastal region small scale producers rain-fed cotton Interior region (Tolima) large scale irrigated cotton high level of mechanization Bt-Cotton Project

7. Cotton Production Characteristics • Most cotton production in Colombia carried out on rented land accounting to 67% of cotton fields • Interior of the country where 80% of the cotton fields are rented • Cotton production in Colombia is characterized by numerous cotton associations at the local levels • Umbrella organization at the top Bt-Cotton Project

8. Cotton Production Characteristics • Conalgodon, the Colombian Confederation of Cotton, knits together more than 30 cotton associations that manage cotton production in Colombia • The associations provide credit for farm inputs, labour for harvesting, rental of machinery or land and also facilitate ginning • Between them the cotton associations operate 33 ginneries Bt-Cotton Project

9. Cotton production Characteristics • The associations also participate in the national programme for the control of the boll weevil • Since 1999, the Government has been involved in an initiative to revitalize cotton production • Key to revitalization initiative is the government’s support to a Minimum Guaranteed Price (MGP) to stabilize the cotton prices • Key to this initiative is the government’s support to a Minimum Guaranteed Price (MGP) to stabilize the cotton prices Bt-Cotton Project

10. Cotton production Characteristics • The Government pays the difference between the global price and market price • The Government also facilitates negotiation of a price for domestic cotton buyers • Established using a formula that takes into account the price that a domestic buyer would pay to import a ton of cotton • This price is updated every month to take care of international price fluctuations Bt-Cotton Project

11. Cotton production Characteristics • Cotton production is highly regulated by legislations and through cotton associations • all farmers are required by the phytosanitary authority to be registered with a local cotton organization • Farmers are also required by law to destroy their cotton stalks after harvest as a measure of pest control particularly for the boll weevil

12. Cotton Production Characteristics • Cotton associations are supposed to enforce phytosanitary requirements for farmers in their associations • Legal contracts are put in place between the cotton associations and the phytosanitary authority to regulate the retention and destruction of cotton stalks after harvesting • The associations also monitor the planting program, cotton stalk residue management as well as enforcement of boll weevil control program Bt-Cotton Project

13. Cotton Research Bt Cotton Project

14. Cotton Research • Cotton research is carried out by a public research institution called CORPOICA and private large scale cotton producing companies • Monsanto and Bayer carry out their own research. • All aspects of cotton production including breeding new cotton varieties, agronomy and crop protection are addressed by the researchers in programmes spread in the cotton growing areas • The cotton producing companies have employed scientists who collect very critical data on plant growth Bt-Cotton Project

15. Commercialization of Transgenic Cotton Bt Cotton Project

16. Commercialization of Transgenic Cotton • Government also introduced Bt-Cotton in 2004 through discussions with Monsanto to assess their technology • Introduction of the transgenic cotton in Colombia was part of government initiative to revitalize cotton production • Monsanto’s Bollgard cotton was introduced for commercialization in 2004 • Monsanto’s NuOpal Bt-Cotton variety was the original transgenic to be commercialized in Colombia • Monsanto followed with other varieties as Bayer entered the market with three other varieties Bt-Cotton Project

17. Commercialization of Transgenic Cotton Transgenic Cotton Varieties Bt-Cotton Project

18. Commercialization of Transgenic Cotton • Since the introduction of transgenic cotton varieties the coverage has rapidly increased to a coverage of 67% by 2009 Bt-Cotton Project

19. Constraints in Adoption of Transgenic Cotton • Small land holdings • Poorly organized cotton associations • Presence of brokers or intermediaries • Requirement of refugia in Bt-Cotton poorly understood by the small scale farmers • Refugia is either 4% or 20% of the total crop with no spraying and spraying respectively Bt-Cotton Project

20. Lessons from Colombia Bt Cotton Project

21. Lessons from Colombia • The need for the Government and the cotton producers to put in place a fund for Minimum Guaranteed Price (MGP) to stabilize the cotton prices • Government to facilitate a negotiated price for domestic cotton buyers established by the stakeholders and updated regularly • Build capacity for management of cotton associations and ginneries to provide credit for farm inputs, labour, rental of machinery and facilitate ginning Bt-Cotton Project

22. Lessons from Colombia • Involvement of the technology owner and cotton associations in the stewardship programme for the transgenic varieties • Engage the technology owner in dialogue with stakeholders in fixing and variation of the price for seed of the transgenic varieties • Bt-Cotton seed should be produced within the country to ensure that they are well adapted to the local growing conditions • Promote large scale irrigated cotton production Bt-Cotton Project

23. Lessons from Colombia • The cotton associations should be involved in monitoring the planting and harvesting dates for efficient pest management • Enlighten growers of the transgenic varieties on the refugia, its purpose and management for efficient Insect Resistance Management • Need to regularly collect and document production and marketing data from all cotton growing regions Bt-Cotton Project

24. Appreciation Bt Cotton Project

25. Appreciation The Executive Director Conalgodon presented me with • Certificate of participation • Packet of Colombian coffee • Mug and branded wear Bt-Cotton Project

26. Colombia Pictorial Bt Cotton Project

27. Hospitality Bt-Cotton Project

28. Conference Bt-Cotton Project

29. Partying Bt-Cotton Project

30. Bogota Bird’s Eye Bt-Cotton Project

31. Colombia Countryside Bt-Cotton Project

32. Colombia Cotton Farms Bt-Cotton Project

33. Good Times Bt-Cotton Project

34. Acknowledgement Bt Cotton Project

35. Acknowledgement • Dr. Patricia Sambrano(PBS/IFPRI)-suggested and initiated the visit to Colombia • Director PBS-Financial support • Dr. John Komen (PBS)- Personal follow up of the visit • David Wafula (PBS)- Personal follow up of the visit • Dr. Margaret Karembu (ISAAA)-Personal follow up of the visit • MS. Luz Amparo Fonseca-Executive Director Conalgodon-invitation and financial support • Edwardo Roman- Conalgodon • Carlos Aguirre- Conalgodon • Director KARI-Permission to Visit Colombia Bt-Cotton Project

36. Thank You 36