The evolution of media reportage on GMOs in Ghana following approval of first GM crop
Date
2024
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Publisher
https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2024.2365481
Abstract
Ghana’s parliament in 2011 passed the Biosafety Act to allow for the application of genetically
modified organism (GMO) technology in the country’s agriculture. In a vibrant democracy, there
have been extensive media discussions on whether GM crops will benefit or harm citizens. In
June 2022, the state GMO regulator, the National Biosafety Authority (NBA), approved the country’s
first GM crop (Bt cowpea) for environmental release, declaring the crop does not present an altered
environmental risk or a food/feed safety concern. This study identified 3 of the country’s most
vibrant digital news outlets and did a content analysis of all GMO stories reported 18 months pre and post-approval to assess whether the approval changed the focus of GMO issues the media
reports on. 91 articles were identified. The results show media reports on the likely impact of GMOs
on the country’s food security shot up after the approval. However, media reports on the possible
health, sociocultural, and environmental impact of GMOs declined. We observe the media and the
public appear interested in deliberations on how the technology could address or worsen food
insecurity and urge agricultural biotechnology actors in Ghana to focus on that in their sensitization activities
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Food security, GM crops, GMOs