Factors Influencing Agbiotech Adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa

Four key factors have been identified to influence the development and adoption of agbiotech products and technology in Sub-Saharan Africa. These are: communication, culture and religion, capacity building and commercialization.

In Factors influencing agbiotech adoption and development in Sub-Saharan Africa published in the journal Nature Biotechnology , Obidimma Ezezika and colleagues of the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health in Canada note that communication, and culture and religion were most prominent in playing more critical roles than previously thought. Thus, accurate, effective information sharing about agbiotech from reliable sources needs to be available for successful development and adoption.

Attempts to change traditional agricultural practices and food production norms face great resistance in the use of agbiotech. It is also important to involve women in the decision making process as they are responsible for up to 70% of food production in Africa. Improved local participation of farmers and the public in the development and provision of agbiotech approaches would be an effective way to improve transparency and build trust in agbiotech projects.

Read more on the topic at http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v30/n1/full/nbt.2088.html.