Public Awareness and perception

Transcription

1 Public Awareness and perception Dr.G.Selvaraj Professor and Head Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Coimbatore

2 Why Public Awareness Clear and understandable consumer information is a very important part of the public acceptance process. Besides media, research organizations and scientific institutions concerned with crop improvement must also take up the responsibility for promoting awareness among the public about the applications of genetic engineering in agriculture and their potential benefits as well as risks and constraints.

3 Necessity of GM seeds The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that food output must increase by 60 percent over the next 25 years to keep up with demand Transgenic crops could improve food yields by up to 25 percent in developing countries and could help to feed an estimated additional three billion people over the next 30 years.

4 What GM crops can offer? Continued development of herbicides-tolerant, virus and pestresistant crops. Modification of oils, fats and starches to improve processing or dietary characterizes. Improvement of flavour, texture, bio-absorbability, nutritional content and elimination of genes for toxic substances and allergens. Identification of genes controlling salt tolerance, resistant to drought, flood, and extreme temperatures, and response to day length. GM crops that fix nitrogen with greater efficiency, thereby reducing the need for fertilizers. GM plants that produce vaccines or therapeutic agents. GM biodegradable plastics grown in plants such as oil seed rape could begin to replace plastics from fossil fuels within a decade

5 On What Aspects? The applications of Genetic Engineering in agriculture The success of GM crops Their potential benefits The risks and constraints Answers to their concerns

6 If people not aware about GM seeds, what will happen? -Misconceptions of GM crops -False propaganda about the GM crops -Unfounded fear about the safety of GM crops

7 Five Dimensions of public acceptance In Australia Cormick, 2006 identified that five factors that underline the public s acceptance of application of biotechnologies Information Information on what GM crops are and are not capable of, provided by a credible source Regulation Confidence that regulatory safeguards are in place to ensure the safety of the public and the environment Consultation A belief that the public has been appropriately consulted and given the opportunity for input into the development of Biotechnology. Consumer choice The ability of the consumer to either accept or reject each particular application of biotechnology Consumer benefit A perceived societal and individual benefit for each application

8 Three qualities of Consumer (Tripp, 2001) Search qualities those that the consumer can recognize prior to purchase Experience qualities those that are appreciated only after purchase and during use Credence qualities - Are difficult to assess even after use, at least without some type of expensive testing

9 Our challenge is thus to understand the information requirements that would allow farmers to develop experience about GM crops. Learning Process deals Satisfaction Action Conviction Desire Interest Attention

10 Attention Is the first task is to direct the attention of the farmers to focus upon the desirable changes To recognize the problem and ways to solve the problem Interest To appeal to the basic needs of the individual and arouse his interest for the further development of the new idea One idea at a time definite and specific

11 Desire Continued stimulation of the new idea to motivate sufficient by strong on to compel action Conviction Action follows when desire, conviction and the prospects of satisfaction make it easier for the person to act than not to act. It gives the individual a visualization process of success

12 Action Conviction is to be converted into action otherwise it becomes fruitless Continued action is desirable to continue ones desire and conviction is created to result in action. Satisfaction The end product of any technology must result in satisfaction. As a result of solving a problem or meeting a need, acquiring a new skill or some other change in behavior. Satisfied consumer is the best advertiser.

13 Who has to do? Besides media, research community, research organizations and scientific institutions concerned with GM crops must also take up the responsibility of promoting awareness

14 Media FM station with SAU s Gyan Vani UGC scientific programmes Scientific Journals Science supplements in newspapers Roping in advertisement agencies

15 Research Community Exclusive public awareness units on GM crops in all R & D departments Public private awareness campaigns Sensitization of scientists about consumer preferences Utilization of school and college students in conducting GM food safety exhibitions

16 Methods to Create awareness a. Individual contacts i. Farm and home visits : ii. Office calls iii. Telephone calls iv. Personal letters v. Result demonstrations Contd.,

17 Contd., b. Group contacts i. Method demonstration meetings ii. Leader training meetings iii. Lecture meetings iv. Conferences and discussion meetings v. Meetings at result demonstrations vi. Tours vii. Schools viii. Miscellaneous meetings Contd.,

18 Contd., c. Mass contacts i. Bulletins ii. Leaflets iii. News stories iv. Circular letters v. Radio vi. Television vii. Exhibits viii. Posters Contd.,

19 Vision approach For creating awareness village GM seed users organizations may be established and trained them in all aspects of biotechnology for better promotion of GM crops to the farmers.

20 THANK YOU