title: The socioeconomics of genetically modified biofortified crops: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: Building upon the growing interest and research on genetically modified (GM) biofortification, its socioeconomic potential has been increasingly examined. We conducted two systematic reviews and meta-analyses to provide comprehensive evidence of consumers' willingness to pay (11 economic valuation studies, 64 estimates) and cost-effectiveness/benefits (five economic evaluation studies, 30 estimates). Worldwide, consumers were willing to pay 23.9% more for GM biofortified food crops. Aside from crop and design-related differences, information provision was deemed crucial. Positive information (nutrition and GM benefits) is associated with the highest consumer willingness to pay, compared with negative, objective, and conflicting GM information, especially when negative information was mentioned last. This health intervention would reduce the aggregated micronutrient deficiency burden in Asia (15.6 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)) by 12.5-51.4%, at a low cost of USD 7.9-27.8 per DALY in a pessimistic and optimistic scenario, respectively. Given that GM biofortified crops could tackle hidden hunger in a cost-effective and well-accepted way, its implementation is worth pursuing. A case study on folate biofortification further elaborates on the importance of socioeconomic research and the determinants of their market potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Biosciences Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Steur
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Biosciences Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.|School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Mountains of the Moon University, Fort Portal, Uganda.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wesana
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional Plant Biology, Department of Physiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blancquaert
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Functional Plant Biology, Department of Physiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Der Straeten
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Biosciences Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gellynck
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D000072759:Biofortification / Q000191:economics*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000191:economics; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D002365:Manihot; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000172:deficiency; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics*; D011198:Solanum tuberosum
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D005492:Folic Acid
keywords: cost-effectiveness; folate-biofortified rice; genetic modification; golden rice; willingness to pay