New Wheat Varieties and Small Farmers
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The distribution of the benefits of new agricultural technologies is the subject
of continuing controversy, especially following the widespread adoption of new
wheat and rice varieties in developing countries over the last 10-15 years. This
paper is motivated by the popular belief that the introduction of the new wheat
varieties has benefited the rich at the expense of the poor (see, for example,
Pearse; and Simmonds). We believe that the available evidence on the impact
of the new wheat varieties supports a quite different conclusion--that the poor
have benefited substantially from these new varieties. Here we summarize
evidence on only one aspect of the distribution of benefits from new wheat
varieties, the distribution of benefits to poor producers relative to larger
producers (Byerlee and Harrington). Conceptual issues in analyzing these
benefits are discussed and empirical evidence, especially new evidence appearing
since 1975, is presented from Mexico, India, and other countries where the new
wheat varieties are widely used.