IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i15p11503-d1202048.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Catherine Nkirote Kunyanga

    (Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 29053-00625, Kenya)

  • Morten Fibieger Byskov

    (Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK)

  • Keith Hyams

    (Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK)

  • Samuel Mburu

    (Save the Children International, Kenya Programme, Nairobi P.O. Box 27679-00506, Kenya)

  • Grace Werikhe

    (Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 29053-00625, Kenya)

  • Cecilia Moraa Onyango

    (Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 29053-00625, Kenya)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine Nkirote Kunyanga & Morten Fibieger Byskov & Keith Hyams & Samuel Mburu & Grace Werikhe & Cecilia Moraa Onyango, 2023. "Perceptions of the Governance of the Technological Risks of Food Innovations for Addressing Food Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-24, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:15:p:11503-:d:1202048
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/15/11503/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/15/11503/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nurudeen Olalekan Oloso & Shamsudeen Fagbo & Musa Garbati & Steve O. Olonitola & Emmanuel Jolaoluwa Awosanya & Mabel Kamweli Aworh & Helen Adamu & Ismail Ayoade Odetokun & Folorunso Oludayo Fasina, 2018. "Antimicrobial Resistance in Food Animals and the Environment in Nigeria: A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, June.
    2. Lilian Korir & Marian Rizov & Eric Ruto & Patrick Paul Walsh, 2021. "Household Vulnerability to Food Insecurity and the Regional Food Insecurity Gap in Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Babatunde O Abidoye & Edward Mabaya, 2014. "Adoption of genetically modified crops in South Africa: Effects on wholesale maize prices," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(1), pages 104-123, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Catherine Nkirote Kunyanga & Morten Fibieger Byskov & Keith Hyams & Samuel Mburu & Grace Werikhe & Rawlynce Bett, 2023. "Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Market Prices and Food Supply in Urban Markets in Nairobi, Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.
    2. Oluwawemimo Oluseun Adebowale & Folashade Adefunke Adeyemo & Noah Bankole & Mary Olasoju & Hezekiah Kehinde Adesokan & Olubunmi Fasanmi & Olanike Adeyemo & Olajoju Awoyomi & Olugbenga Kehinde & Foloru, 2020. "Farmers’ Perceptions and Drivers of Antimicrobial Use and Abuse in Commercial Pig Production, Ogun State, Nigeria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-20, May.
    3. Marjan M. Hashemi & Augusta O. Mmuoegbulam & Brett S. Holden & Jordan Coburn & John Wilson & Maddison F. Taylor & Joseph Reiley & Darius Baradaran & Tania Stenquist & Shenglou Deng & Paul B. Savage, 2018. "Susceptibility of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria, Isolated from Water and Plants in Nigeria, to Ceragenins," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Sinyolo, Sikhulumile, 2020. "Technology adoption and household food security among rural households in South Africa: The role of improved maize varieties," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    5. Lilian Korir & Marian Rizov & Eric Ruto, 2023. "Diet diversity, malnutrition and health: Evidence from Kenya," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(2), pages 534-550, June.
    6. Andrzejczak, Katarzyna & Przysiecka, Łucja, 2016. "Genetic Technology Transfer to Kenyan Agriculture in the Context of Biotechnology Research," Problems of World Agriculture / Problemy Rolnictwa Światowego, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, vol. 16(31), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Funk, Bryana & Amer, Saud A. & Ward, Frank A., 2023. "Sustainable aquifer management for food security," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    8. Ashok J. Tamhankar & Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg, 2019. "Antimicrobials and Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment and Its Remediation: A Global One Health Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-7, November.
    9. Shuo Ding, 2022. "A Comparative Analysis of Vulnerability to Poverty between Urban and Rural Households in China," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-28, October.
    10. Nguyen Thai Phan & Ji-Yong Lee & Nguyen Duc Kien, 2022. "The Impact of Land Fragmentation in Rice Production on Household Food Insecurity in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-12, September.
    11. Malaiarasan, Umanath & Paramasivam, R & Saravanakumar, V, 2022. "Choice of millets cultivation in India: an evidence from farm household survey data," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 35(Conferenc), December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:15:p:11503-:d:1202048. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.