ARTICLE: Herbicides and Biotech Crops Control Weeds in Africa

The following is an excerpt of a blog post by CropLife International on their website, entitled, "Herbicides and Biotech Crops Control Weeds in Africa."

In Africa, farmers can lose anywhere from 25 to 100 percent of their crops if weeds are not properly controlled. This is because weeds crowd out and steal resources  – such as water or nutrients – from crops, causing them not to reach their full potential or die.

Research shows that herbicides can increase yields by up to 55 percent in maize and 75 percent in cotton alone when weeds are present. Herbicide-tolerant biotech crops, which have been approved for planting in South Africa and Egypt, also have similar effects. Between 1998 and 2013, these biotech crops added US$1.15 billion to farm income in South Africa.

Motlatsi Musi, a South African farmer who uses both herbicides and biotech herbicide-tolerant crops, explains their importance to him and the continent. Herbicide-resistant crops work in tandem with specific herbicides that kill all weeds but not the crop.

Read the full interview here.