Biotech Updates

Nigerians Ready to Know More About GM Crops

August 5, 2020

A study was published describing how open the Nigerian public is to the availability of genetically modified (GM) crops in the market. Results showed that they want to learn more about GM crops first before commercialization.

The study involved 335 individual respondents and was conducted by a team of scientists from the National Biotechnology Development Agency in Nigeria, the University of Abuja, and Wageningen University and Research Centre. The objective was to determine how ready the consumers are to welcome GM crops in the market. Among those that were investigated were their willingness to consume GM crops and the concerns they wanted addressed, which were mostly about the potential health risks.

The study documented that there is a reasonable level of awareness of GM crops in Nigeria, and the participants got their information from the internet and the media. They also preferred to learn more about GM crops through the internet. The participants then signified the need for further information about GM crops. The study concludes that there is a need to implement evidence-based educational programs to boost the public's existing knowledge about GM crops.

Read the study's full details in the African Journal of Biotechnology.


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