Post on 23-Nov-2021
NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
AWARENESS STRATEGY
(BioAWARE-Kenya)
Experiences in Building a National Communications Strategy in Kenya
Margaret Karembu, PhD
Director, ISAAA AfriCenter
Validation of the National Communications and Public Awareness
Strategy and Plan of Peru , Lima, November 17th, 2009
Quote!
“Responsible
biotechnology
is not the
enemy, but
starvation is
the enemy.”
Norman E. Borlaug (Late)
1970 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
I S A A A
Presentation Outline
• Introduction to ISAAA
• Overview of BioAWARE
• Biotech Communications Landscape
• Elements of a Communication Strategy
• Experiences and lessons from Africa
• Challenges
• Way Forward
I S A A A This is ISAAA…
International Service for the
Acquisition of Agribiotech
Applications
Technology transfer
Enabling Policies
Biotech Communications
Knowledge-sharing
Process Documentation
I S A A A
The ISAAA Network Centers
AmeriCenter
AfriCenter
SEAsiaCenter
SEAsiaCenter
c/o IRRI
DAPO Box 7777
Metro Manila
Philippines
AmeriCenter,
Cornell
University, 417
Bradfield Hall,
Ithaca NY 14852,
USA AfriCenter
P.O. Box 70
00605, ILRI Campus
Nairobi, Kenya
ISAAA: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications
India Office
I S A A A
ISAAA’s Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology &
Network of Biotechnology Information Centers
Philippines
ISAAA’s Global KC
Indonesia
Malaysia
Brazil
China
India
Egypt
Kenya
South Africa
Thailand
Mali
Pakistan
Russia
Bulgaria
Sri Lanka
Spain
Italy Japan
Burkina Faso
Bangladesh
ISAAA AmeriCenter
Vietnam
Knowledge and Experience Sharing
Official Launch
September 25th 2008
by Minister for Agriculture
Hon. William Ruto on behalf of Agricultural Sector
Coordinating Unit (ASCU) and Stakeholders
Background
• Limited access to accurate and balanced information on biotechnology
- fictitious - distorted - sensational • Controversies over Biotechnology - Varying perceptions of benefits and risks - Public anxiety due to conflicting information - Unfamiliarity with the technology - Food and environmental safety concerns • Weak communication networking mechanisms
Why BioAWARE
• Support implementation of the National
Biotechnology Development Policy 2006; Biosafety
Act 2009
• Fulfillment of international obligations – Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety (Article 26)
• Government’s acknowledged importance of
availability and access to accurate information on
biotechnology for informed decision-making
Vision, Mission & Mandate
• VISION A well-informed and knowledgeable society capable of
making decisions and choices on responsible use of biotechnology and its products
• MISSION To empower the Kenyan public to make informed
decisions on the use of biotechnology and its products through a participatory awareness creation process
• MANDATE To provide a framework within which strategies and
specific actions can be undertaken to promote awareness and understanding of the role of biotechnology in the country’s development agenda
......or Gene Foodor Gene Food??
Mutant FoodMutant Food......
Source: CropBiotech Net Collections
Fantasy
REALITY
Global trade in Biotech: Big Business!
Accumulated global
value for the 12-year
period since biotech
crops were first
commercialized
in 1996 ~ US$49.8
billion
2008: Estimated at
US$7.5 billion up from
US$6.9 billion in 2007
An “apparent” increase of 9.4% or 10.7 million hectares between 2007 and 2008,
equivalent to a “real” increase of 15% or 22 million “trait hectares”
Source: Clive James, 2009
GLOBAL AREA OF BIOTECH CROPS
Million Hectares (1996 to 2008)
25 Biotech Crop Countries
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Total Hectares
Industrial
Developing
“Trait Hectares”
13.3 million farmers
NETWORK OF OPINIONS
Miracle or
Monster ??
Varied perceptions on risks and benefits - Impacts on policy decisions!!!
Developing the Communication
Strategy: Key Questions
1. Purpose of communication (why)
2. Target audience (to who)
3. Message (what)
4. Means of message transmission (How)
5. Message conveyer (by who)
6. Feed back and follow up (P, M&E)
•Awareness
•Change attitudes and perceptions
•Influence practices
Define Target Stakeholder Groups
Mass media
Policy makers/Parliamentary select committees
Extension staff in relevant Ministries
Farmer Groups
Academia
Special interest groups – environmentalists, youth, consumers
Industry
I S A A A
Undertake Stakeholder Analysis
Policy Influence map
High Power-Low interest:
Keep satisfied
(List them)
High Power-High Interest: engage closely and influence
actively for policy change
(List them)
Low Interest-low power:
Monitor, minimum effort here
High interest-Low power:
keep them informed, can lobby
for change! Make them patrons,
champions for the proposed
policy change (List them)
Interest
Pow
er
Low
High
High
High
I S A A A
Where do Majority Stakeholders get information on biotech?
Ranked in importance (in East Africa)
1. Mass media – electronic & print (radio highly effective)
2. Special interest groups – NGOs, industry
3. Special media – brochures, newsletters
4. Experts – Low
5. Internet – Very low
Yet internet has been rated very highly in influencing policy!
I S A A A
Key element in an effective outreach and
communications strategy
• Trusted and Credible communicators
• Content - Credible information sources
• Communication Tools – Multi-media
- Messenger
- Message
- Means
1. Media-Scientists Linkages
Lesson 1: Build capacity and invest in good relations with credible journalists for increased and balanced reporting
•Training in:
Science communication
Reporting biotechnology
Risk communication
2. Scientific live shows
Lesson 2: Demystify biotechnology issues by exposing stakeholders to biotech processes & products
3. Study tours - traveling workshops
Lesson 3: Invest in seeing-is-believing study tours to enhance appreciation of research efforts & confidence with local expertise
Stakeholders visit Bt cotton Confined Field Trials in Kenya
Farmer-to-farmer
visits to S. Africa, Burkina
Members of
Parliament,
Journalists,
Farmer
leaders
visit
biotech
facilities in
the country
4. Parliamentarians and Scientists Workshops
Lesson 4: Politicians are very strong opinion shapers. Scientists and parliamentarians must engage!
5. Regular (monthly) stakeholder dialogue
Lesson 5. Interpersonal communication very effective in building
trust and strengthening inter-institutional networking
Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology – OFAB
2-hour session every last Thursday of the month: scientists,
specialists, policy makers and the media have a platform to
network and share knowledge
6. Simplified educational materials (IECs)
Newsletters – BiotekAfrica, Crop Biotech
Topical Newsbriefs, Brochures
Pocket Ks – Localised/translated
Message Maps – Key areas of interest
Calendar – Biotech info & education
Pocket Ks (Local
languages)
Lesson 6: Improve stakeholders understanding of biotech/biosafety issues and trends with simple, localized IEC materials
Modern biotech and
biosafety facilities
exist in KARI, ILRI
and Kenyatta
UniversityAlmost all the public
universities have
established
biotechnology centres
and institutions
Kenya biotech and
biosafety experts
have been trained in
the best universities
and laboratories
worldwide
Kenyan institutions
doing GM research
are collaborating with
renown public and
private research
institutions
worldwide
Data on research
conducted by WHO, OECD,
FAO and other bodies in
modern biotech and
biosafety is available on
the internet
The University of Nairobi has
established a laboratory for detecting GMOs with the
support of UNEP-GEF
FACT 1:
Adequate capacity
exists within the
regulatory agencies to
supervise GM research
FACT 3:
Kenya has adequate
scientific capacity for
modern biotech R and D
Regulatory agencies can
use capacity available in
universities and research
institutions
Key regulatory institutions
including KEPHIS, KEBS,
DVS and NEMA have human
capacity and laboratories to
test GM crops and products
The NCST is the national
focal point on modern
biotech in Kenya with
access to global information FACT 2:
Scientific data is
available globally to
make decisions on
modern biotech
research
Real need to improve agriculture sector Different Options
Some tools in
agriculture
Organic
farming
Indigenous knowledge Plant
breeding
Biotechnology Variety
selection
Sustainable
resource
management Integrated
pest
management
Conservation
tillage
Note: Biotechnology provides tools; NOT a SYSTEM and will not
replace traditional agriculture
Way forward - Provide Choices!