White maize in South Africa is the only staple crop produced on a widespread commercial basis for direct human consumption using genetically modified (GM) cultivars. Using a combined economic and environmental approach, we estimate the total welfare benefits attributable to GM white maize in South Africa for 2001-2018 are $694.7 million. Food security benefits attributable to GM white maize in South Africa also manifest through an average of 4.6 million additional white maize rations annually. To achieve these additional annual rations using conventional hybrid maize, the additional land required would range from 1,088 hectares in 2001 to 217,788 hectares in 2014. Results indicate that GM maize reduces environmental damage by $0.34 per hectare or $291,721 annually, compared to conventional hybrid white maize.
","abstract_html":"<p>White maize in South Africa is the only staple crop produced on a widespread commercial basis for direct human consumption using genetically modified (GM) cultivars. Using a combined economic and environmental approach, we estimate the total welfare benefits attributable to GM white maize in South Africa for 2001-2018 are $694.7 million. Food security benefits attributable to GM white maize in South Africa also manifest through an average of 4.6 million additional white maize rations annually. To achieve these additional annual rations using conventional hybrid maize, the additional land required would range from 1,088 hectares in 2001 to 217,788 hectares in 2014. Results indicate that GM maize reduces environmental damage by $0.34 per hectare or $291,721 annually, compared to conventional hybrid white maize.</p>","abstract_has_math":true,"creators":["Ala-Kokko, Kristiina"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Chaminuka, Petronella","Matlock, Marty D."],"advisors":["Nalley, Lawton L."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2021,"date_issued":"2021-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2021-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:00:28Z","subjects":["Food security","Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)","Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)","Maize","Profitability","South Africa","Agricultural Economics","Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering","Sustainability"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3991","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Chaminuka, Petronella","Matlock, Marty D."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Nalley, Lawton L."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ala-Kokko, Kristiina"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2021"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-07-09T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Food security","Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)","Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)","Maize","Profitability","South Africa","Agricultural Economics","Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering","Sustainability"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3991"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["White maize in South Africa is the only staple crop produced on a widespread commercial basis for direct human consumption using genetically modified (GM) cultivars. Using a combined economic and environmental approach, we estimate the total welfare benefits attributable to GM white maize in South Africa for 2001-2018 are $694.7 million. Food security benefits attributable to GM white maize in South Africa also manifest through an average of 4.6 million additional white maize rations annually. To achieve these additional annual rations using conventional hybrid maize, the additional land required would range from 1,088 hectares in 2001 to 217,788 hectares in 2014. Results indicate that GM maize reduces environmental damage by $0.34 per hectare or $291,721 annually, compared to conventional hybrid white maize.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Economic and Ecosystem Impacts of GM Maize in South Africa"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Chaminuka, Petronella","Matlock, Marty D."],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Nalley, Lawton L."],"dc:creator":["Ala-Kokko, Kristiina"],"dc:date":["2021"],"dc:date.available":["2021-07-09T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["White maize in South Africa is the only staple crop produced on a widespread commercial basis for direct human consumption using genetically modified (GM) cultivars. Using a combined economic and environmental approach, we estimate the total welfare benefits attributable to GM white maize in South Africa for 2001-2018 are $694.7 million. Food security benefits attributable to GM white maize in South Africa also manifest through an average of 4.6 million additional white maize rations annually. To achieve these additional annual rations using conventional hybrid maize, the additional land required would range from 1,088 hectares in 2001 to 217,788 hectares in 2014. Results indicate that GM maize reduces environmental damage by $0.34 per hectare or $291,721 annually, compared to conventional hybrid white maize.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3991"],"dc:subject":["Food security","Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)","Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)","Maize","Profitability","South Africa","Agricultural Economics","Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering","Sustainability"],"dc:title":["Economic and Ecosystem Impacts of GM Maize in South Africa"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:00:28Z"}