Public awareness, participation and attitude toward the national biosafety framework and genetically modified organisms in Ghana

Abstract

Public engagement in the development, promotion, and utilization of innovation is an important part of any biosafety decision-making process. Under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the public is expected to be involved in the development and handling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the implementation of a national biosafety framework (NBF), which governs and regulates the operations of modern biotechnology and GMOs. In this study, we explore the state of public knowledge and awareness regarding GMOs and attitudes toward the NBF in Ghana using a survey conducted in three elite communities in Accra, the capital of Ghana. We interviewed 130 people and found that while most of the respondents obtained information on GMOs through the media, academic papers, and agriculture awareness workshops, access to information on the technology and the NBF was often limited. Our results showed that despite the existence of GMOs and an NBF in Ghana for many years, awareness, understanding, and knowledge of GMOs and the NBF remain inadequate. We found that young, better-educated males are more likely to accept GMOs and be aware of the NBF. This suggests the need for more widespread public education, engagement, and awareness development regarding GMOs, the NBF, and governing institutions as a way of resolving the problems created by misinformation, distrust, and fear, and increasing public confidence in GMOs.