Attitude and consumption of Bangladeshi professionals toward biotechnological products

Md. Enamul Haque,Abu Habib Md. Abdullah,A. K. M. Abdul Hannan Bhuiyan,Md. Safiul Islam Afrad,Tofazzal Islam

doi:10.1186/s40066-017-0155-z

Abstract

BackgroundTo expand the biotechnology market, the opinions of professionals toward biotechnological products are highly valuable for the industry personnel, government policy-makers, and others for taking appropriate decision. Bangladesh is considered as a highly potential country for marketing biotechnological products. It is indispensable to know the present status and future potentiality of biotechnological products to develop a demand-driven market in Bangladesh. This study aimed to assess attitude and consumption of professionals working in public and private organizations in Bangladesh toward biotechnological products.MethodsThe data were collected by simple random sampling model, while structured questionnaire provided by the researchers. Collected data were analysed by using Chi-square and logistic regression tests.ResultsFindings reveal that Bangladeshi professionals have an optimistic viewpoint about biotechnology and its products. However, age and education of the respondents had a significant effect on their attitude towards biotechnological products. The most common biotechnological products used by respondents were genetically modified (GM) soybean oil, antibiotics, skin care cream, stress-resistant hybrid rice and vaccine in Bangladesh. Most of the respondents demonstrated a pessimistic consumption level of biotechnological products that showed a menace toward the progress of biotechnology in Bangladesh. However, none of the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents had a significant effect on the consumption of biotechnological products, but private-sector respondents had a more sanguine stance to consume biotechnological products compared to public-sector respondents.ConclusionThe favourable attitude and marginal consumption of professional toward biotechnological products reveal that it is important to expand the application of biotechnology to ensure food and nutritional security of Bangladesh. This study includes a limited number of professionals from public and private sectors who have been involved in biotechnological products in Bangladesh. The findings and suggestions for this study might be useful for food producers, industry and food policy makers involved in biotechnological production in Bangladesh.

Highlights

To expand the biotechnology market, the opinions of professionals toward biotechnological products are highly valuable for the industry personnel, government policy-makers, and others for taking appropriate decision
There have been a number of consumers and farmers’ studies conducted on knowledge, attitude and behaviour with regard to genetically modified (GM) foods in both developed [7, 19] and developing countries [6, 34] in the world, almost no studies have considered the factors that influence both the attitudes and consumption of Bangladeshi professionals
The reverse picture was seen into industry personnel, whereas 44% had applied knowledge, 33% had basic knowledge and merely 23% had awareness knowledge on biotechnological products

Summary

Introduction

To expand the biotechnology market, the opinions of professionals toward biotechnological products are highly valuable for the industry personnel, government policy-makers, and others for taking appropriate decision. Bangladesh is considered as a highly potential country for marketing biotechnological products. It is indispensable to know the present status and future potentiality of biotechnological products to develop a demand-driven market in Bangladesh. This study aimed to assess attitude and consumption of professionals working in public and private organizations in Bangladesh toward biotechnological products. There have been a number of consumers and farmers’ studies conducted on knowledge, attitude and behaviour with regard to genetically modified (GM) foods in both developed [7, 19] and developing countries [6, 34] in the world, almost no studies have considered the factors that influence both the attitudes and consumption of Bangladeshi professionals

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion