Perceptions of the Governance of the Technological Risks of Food Innovations for Addressing Food Security

Abstract

Food and nutrition insecurity continue to risk the lives and wellbeing of millions of people throughout the world today. Further, food and nutrition insecurity are still major challenges in Kenya and have triggered the adoption of a number of modern biotechnologies for agricultural transformation. Consequently, many food technologies have been approved to secure sustainable access to food for millions of people. This study investigated the perceptions and implementation of two technologies for addressing food insecurity in Kenya, namely, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the use of antibiotics in livestock production. In particular, the study explored how their implementation can be governed responsibly through approved legislation. Therefore, the knowledge, attitudes and practices, as well as the governance, of GMO technology and antibiotic resistance risks were assessed. In-depth key interviews were conducted for a qualitative survey with triangulation using quantitative data sources. The findings showed that 46% of the population have limited knowledge about GMO technology, with about 79% indicating that foods with GM ingredients were already being consumed in the country despite the government ban. The majority of respondents agree that GMOs can contribute to an increase in the global food supply (65%), make food affordable (57%) and produce more nutritious foods (50%). Further, most agree that GMOs can produce crops more resistant to pests and reduce pesticide use on food crop plants (89). The main concerns reported regarding GMO technology by most respondents included the impact on the environment and human health and the adverse effects on traditional farming practices. About 36% of these respondents indicated that the technology diminishes traditional farming technologies, and 32% reported that it contributes to loss of biodiversity. Notably, 64% reported that GMO technology is a solution to food security and that GM foods are safe. Regarding the use of antimicrobials mainly meant to prevent diseases and access better markets, respondents perceived their use to be associated with a “large level of risk” of antimicrobial resistance (score of 2 on a scale of 1–3) (M = 1.85, SD = 1.06). A total of 56% of the respondents reported that the efforts towards promoting awareness of antibiotic resistance risks and their associated effects on human health are relatively limited. Our findings show that most of the respondents have only observed minimal awareness campaigns. Regarding the governance of the two technologies, 71% and 50% of the respondents reported that scientists and elected officials, respectively, have the greatest roles in the governance of GMOs, with small-scale farmers playing a negligible role. These findings are crucial to the advancement of food innovations that are geared towards achieving food security in Kenya as they highlight the risks associated with the poor governance and implementation of technologies. Therefore, there is a need for a framework for technological risk governance that is sensitive to local values and socio-economic circumstances and that will facilitate the achievement of food security goals.