Facts & Figures
A growing body of evidence suggests that biotechnology is helping agriculture enter a new era of efficiency and sustainability. In the hands of farmers, better seeds are helping the world grow more, while using less. Researchers around the world, in both the public and private sectors, are working to improve seeds through the use of advanced breeding and biotechnology. Together with better farming techniques, these advanced seeds can help farmers meet the world's demand for food, clothing and fuel while also helping to reducing the need for water, land, pesticides and fossil fuels. In this month's Spotlight, we'll highlight the findings of a new report on the status of biotech crops, and discuss their role in meeting our growing global challenges.
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Paraguay
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| Population in thousands (2010) | 6,460 |
| Average life expectancy (2008) | 72 |
| GDP per capita (2008) | $6,520.10 |
| Gross GPD in billions (2008) | $40.67 |
| Agriculture's share of GDP (2006) | 21% |
| Population below poverty line (2007) | 6.45% |
Paraguay
Paraguay is located in South America and has an estimated population of about 6.5 million (2010). It is one of the only two land-locked countries in South America. Agriculture employs 31 percent of the country’s population (2007) and accounts for 21 percent of the country’s GDP (2006). Major agricultural products include corn, cassava, wheat, and sugarcane. Paraguay is one of the world’s largest producers of soybean and in 2008, Paraguayan farmers grew biotech soybean on 95 percent of the country’s soybean acres. Since adoption, farm income gains from biotech crops have been $500 million. To learn more about Paraguay’s agriculture production and the role it plays in feeding, clothing and fueling the world, see the charts below.
Average Yield
Insufficient data available for this chart. Production in canola started after 1970.
