National and Global Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops
Abstract
We estimate the impact of genetically modified (GM) crops on countrywide yields, harvested area, and trade using a triple-differences rollout design that exploits variation in the availability of GM seeds across crops, countries, and time. We find positive impacts on yields, especially in poor countries. Our estimates imply that without GM crops, the world would have needed 3.4 percent additional cropland to keep global agricultural output at its 2019 level. We also find that bans on GM cultivation have limited the global gain from GM adoption to one-third of its potential. Poor countries would benefit most from lifting such bans. (JEL O13, Q15, Q16, Q17, Q18)
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Hansen and Wingender report no yield effects of GM soybean and rapeseed adoption but large and statistically significant yield effects of GM cotton and corn adoption.
“They report no yield effects of GM soybean and rapeseed adoption but large and statistically significant yield effects of GM cotton and corn adoption.”
From Environmental impacts of genetically modified crops (2024) · cites this paper as [46]
Recent studies on pesticides and yields are examples of progress in quantifying the impact of GM crop adoption.
“Examples include the recent studies on pesticides ( 79 ) and yields ( 46 )”
From Environmental impacts of genetically modified crops (2024) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- Hansen, C. W., & Wingender, A. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- University of Copenhagen (email: )
- ORCID
- Hansen, Casper Worm
- Venue
- American Economic Review: Insights
- Publisher
- American Economic Association
- Published
- 2023-06-01
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 224-240
- ISSN
- 2640-205X (ISSN-L)
- 2640-2068
- OpenAlex
- W4379932724
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3
- FWCI
- 3.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Economic Review Insights (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Genetically Modified Organisms Research
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agricultural Innovations and Practices
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agricultural Economics and Practices
- Keywords
- genetically modified crops, crop yield, harvested area, agricultural trade, cropland expansion, developing countries, agricultural productivity
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