WHO GAINS FROM GENETIC IMPROVEMENTS IN U.S. CROPS?

The distribution of gains of plant breeding and plant genetic resource exchange has been the source of heated North-South debates in meetings of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. We report results of a study using a world agricultur l trade model to estimate the size and distribution of economic gains from yield increases in major United States (U.S.) crops attributable to genetic improvements. The net global economic benefits of a one-time, permanent increase in U.S. yields are about $8.1 billion (discounted at 10%) and $15.4 billion (discounted at 5%). The United States captures 50-60 % of these net gains. Gains to consumers in developing and transitional economies range from 6.1 billion (10 % discount rate) to $11.6 billion (5 % discount rate). Key words: genetic resources; plant breeding; returns to research; yields. Since 1960, yield growth has accounted for 92 % of the growth of world cereals production (World Bank, 1992). Genetic improvements have accounted for roughly half the yield growth o