1. Experiences in sub-Saharan Africa with GM crop risk communication: outcome of a workshop
- Author
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Anwar Rumjaun, Mark Tepfer, Lilian M. Nfor, Gratian Bamwenda, Wynand van der Walt, Chinyere V. Nzeduru, Harrison Maganga, Jane Otadoh, Andrew Kiggundu, Nancy Muchiri, Monica Racovita, Chantal Kaboré-Zoungrana, Samuel Timpo, Manjusha Sunil, Iro Suleiman, Wendy Craig, Robert Anguzu, Roshan Abdallah, Dennis Ndolo Obonyo, Biosafety unit, ICGEB, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Agricultural Innovation Research Foundation, Partenaires INRAE, National Agricultural Research Organization, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, African Centre for Technology Studies, African Agricultural Technology Foundation, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Mauritius Institute of Education, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias - Institut Valencià d'Investigacions Agraries - Valencian Institute for agricultural Research (IVIA), Public Understanding of Biotechnology, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-AgroParisTech, African Biosafety Network of Expertise, and FoodNCropBio Consulting Services
- Subjects
Crops, Agricultural ,Economic growth ,030309 nutrition & dietetics ,media_common.quotation_subject ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Intellectual property ,capacity-building needs ,scientists ,stakeholders ,Education ,credibility ,03 medical and health sciences ,risk communication ,Risk Factors ,journalists ,[SDV.IDA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Food engineering ,Agricultural policy ,Humans ,policy-makers ,[SDV.BV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Vegetal Biology ,Quality (business) ,[SPI.GPROC]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Chemical and Process Engineering ,Product (category theory) ,Productivity ,Africa South of the Sahara ,030304 developmental biology ,media_common ,public participation ,0303 health sciences ,business.industry ,Communication ,Environmental resource management ,Stakeholder ,16. Peace & justice ,Plants, Genetically Modified ,Agriculture ,Public participation ,expertise ,business ,Agronomy and Crop Science ,anguage ,Food Science ,Biotechnology - Abstract
International audience; In tackling agricultural challenges, policy-makers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have increasingly considered genetically modified (GM) crops as a potential tool to increase productivity and to improve product quality. Yet, as elsewhere in the world, the adoption of GM crops in SSA has been marked by controversy, encompassing not only the potential risks to animal and human health, and to the environment, but also other concerns such as ethical issues, public participation in decision-making, socio-economic factors and intellectual property rights. With these non-scientific factors complicating an already controversial situation, disseminating credible information to the public as well as facilitating stakeholder input into decision-making is essential. In SSA, there are various and innovative risk communication approaches and strategies being developed, yet a comprehensive analysis of such data is missing. This gap is addressed by giving an overview of current strategies, identifying similarities and differences between various country and institutional approaches and promoting a way forward, building on a recent workshop with risk communicators working in SSA.
- Published
- 2013