In a recent opinion article the [Kenyan] MP for Gatundu South, who serves on the parliamentary departmental committee on agriculture and livestock, made a case for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as an additional weapon in our food security armoury.
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It is critical that our lawmakers and policymakers make evidence-based policy decisions devoid of individual biases and interests.
When decisions are made objectively it makes it easier to rationalise and explain to the public why and how the decisions were arrived at, thus enhancing trust and goodwill.
As things stand, the lack of basic knowledge and understanding as well as widespread disinformation and misinformation on GMOs and biotechnology makes the task of educating the public an onerous one.
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The extent of the task at hand is typified by some of the questions I have personally encountered even from a well-educated citizenry.
I have been asked questions like are processed foods GMOs; are those wholesome looking vegetables and fruits in the supermarkets GMOs; are broiler chicken GMOs; can one differentiate GM foods in the market?
These questions, to an expert, may sound simple but it is exactly what the public grapples with, pointing to the informational gap confronting the government and those knowledgeable on the topic.
