The current products from available biotechnology are input trait oriented, herbicide tolerance and insect resistance. Whether these are appropriate in the developing countries is a very complex issue and depends much on country or region specifics. As stated above, poverty reduction is dependent on farm related income. Herbicide tolerance would eliminate the use of labour for weeding and thus lower earning potentials and poverty reduction in many instances. However, in all developing countries there are also growing segments of commercial farmers who could benefit from herbicide tolerant crops in situations where labour is scarce.
Insect resistance is a win-win both in small and large scale farming in the developing world.
In Africa, in corn, it is treat or don't eat. But corn could make a tremendous contribution to food security while eliminating some of the hazards associated with chemical treatment.