title: Bt cotton and farmer suicides in India: an evidence-based assessment.
abstract: Bt cotton is accused of being responsible for an increase of farmer suicides in India. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of evidence on Bt cotton and farmer suicides. Available data show no evidence of a 'resurgence' of farmer suicides. Moreover, Bt cotton technology has been very effective overall in India. Nevertheless, in specific districts and years, Bt cotton may have indirectly contributed to farmer indebtedness, leading to suicides, but its failure was mainly the result of the context or environment in which it was planted.
authors.affiliation: International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gruère
authors.forename: Debdatta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sengupta
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000266:history; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history; D004777:Environment; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000266:history; D003368:Gossypium; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012423:Rural Health / Q000266:history; D012424:Rural Population / Q000266:history; D013405:Suicide / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D013783:Textile Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000266:history
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants