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Labor Impacts

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Socio-Economic Considerations in Biotechnology Regulation

Part of the book series: Natural Resource Management and Policy ((NRMP,volume 37))

Abstract

Agricultural production in most African countries is characterized by labor-intensive but low-input, low-output production systems compared to capital-intensive, profit-driven mechanized production systems in developed countries. It thus follows that when considering the labor impacts of GM crops it is important to distinguish between farmers in developed countries using mechanized production systems and farmers in developing countries where agriculture is generally the sole source of livelihood and employment. Adoption of GM agricultural technologies can result in substantial laboursaving for farmers and in a production systems where labor is a limiting factor, increased labor productivity might result in production expansion and additional employment opportunities over the longer term. However, in the short term and in absence of mitigating strategies, laboursaving technologies can impact negatively on the rural poor who sell their labor.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Marnus Gouse

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  1. Marnus Gouse
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Correspondence to Marnus Gouse .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Law, Monash University, VIC, Australia

    Karinne Ludlow

  2. University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

    Stuart J. Smyth

  3. International Food Policy Research Inst., Washington, DC, District of Columbia, USA

    José Falck-Zepeda

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Gouse, M. (2014). Labor Impacts. In: Ludlow, K., Smyth, S., Falck-Zepeda, J. (eds) Socio-Economic Considerations in Biotechnology Regulation. Natural Resource Management and Policy, vol 37. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9440-9_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9440-9_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-9439-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-9440-9

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