Consumer awareness on genetically modified crops in Kenya.

Abstract

This research paper is based on consumer awareness with much emphasis on health and access to information with regards to genetically modified crops. The main objectives of the study were to investigate the current emerging trends on genetically modified crops, the current consumer concerns such as health and awareness about genetically modified crops, the current legislation in Kenya to ensure safe research of genetically modified crops and legislation in place that deals with consumer awareness on GMcrops, and finally the study sought out to find out if there is a correlation between economic impacts associated with GMcrops and tradeoff of health in countries that ae currently producing GMcrops. The scope of the study was narrowed to focus on the Kenyan jurisdiction with other jurisdictions that produce GMcrops being the pivotal points of discussion in order to assess the veracity of GMcrops if introduced into the Kenyan market. The study discovered that there is indeed a wide gap when it comes to consumer awareness with regards to GMcrops, and lack of proper enforcement methods when it comes to public institutions that have been charged with ensuring the right information is provided to the consumer with regards to CJMcrops. The study also discovered that there is indeed a negative correlation between economic impacts and health in countries producing GMcrops as health is ignored over economic benefits of GMcrops. There is also lack of adequate regulation of public institutions charged with consumer awareness and safety issues because such institutions operate almost independently with little or no oversight. An area for improvement that is recommended by the study is for public institutions tasked with issues concerning GMcrops to work synchronically in order to ensure safe research is conducted and consumer awareness is realized. Consumer awareness can be realized through such public institutions engaging in vigorous consumer awareness campaigns by using more than one medium of dispensing information e.g. social media and the internet, television documentaries about GMcrops, engaging various sections of the public not just the farmers and informing them of the benefits and implications of GMcrops etc. consumer awareness can only be achieved if only these public institutions honestly and rightfully undertake their constitutional and statutory duties to inform the consumer about their rights