Scientists root for GMOs, tell off politicians and NGOs

Researchers have found that one-fifth of African media coverage of genetically modified foods contains misinformation.

The biggest category of misinformation concerned human health, they established.

The researchers found articles containing claims that GMOs cause cancer or other health impacts without refutation.

Such claims contradict a worldwide scientific consensus that food from genetically engineered crops is as safe as food from non-genetically engineered crops, they pointed out.

The researchers found that misinformation on GMOs and human health had the highest readership, achieving a potential reach of 139 million people.

The corresponding figures for North America and Europe were 5 per cent and 7 per cent.

These findings are in a paper titled 'Misinformation in the media: Global coverage of GMOs 2019-2021'.

The lead author of the study is Mark Lynas, climate and research lead at the Alliance for Science, which is based at the Boyce Thompson Institute in Ithaca, New York.

The scientists made their remarks during an online press conference on Tuesday following the launch of the paper.

The paper's authors studied stories published between January 2019 and January 2021 by top English-language media from around the world.

Articles were assessed for misinformation, which the paper defined as statements that disagreed with the scientific consensus on the safety of genetic engineering.

Overall, 9 per cent (47) of the 535 relevant articles containing ‘GMO’-related keywords contained misinformation, the authors established.

This false information was considered likely to have had a potential reach of 256 million people.

Lynas faulted opposition chief Raila Odinga for making a U-turn on the technology.

“It is peculiar [Raila’s stance], science shows that GMOs are safe,” he said.

Lynas said Raila’s stand is a result of a political opportunity.

Raila has threatened to lead a powerful campaign against the government's push to import genetically modified maize.

This is a departure from his stand in 2011, when he backed genetically modified foods.

Serving as Prime Minister in President Mwai Kibaki's administration, Raila back then described those opposed to genetically modified food as "conservative purveyors of alarm".

"Conservatism will kill innovation," Raila said in response to a push by then Naivasha MP John Mututho to discredit GMOs.

He said Mututho had relied on discredited expertise about genetically modified foods to sow alarm and asked him to "listen to other authorities other than his own".

Raila also accused Mututho of being hostage to "a narrow understanding of genetic modification of crops".

Raila said the World Health Organisation had certified generically modified foods as safe and urged Kenyans to embrace the technology.

He said the country would import GMOs because there was an international shortage of organic maize.

The maize would however be ground into flour and packed in bags clearly labelled as GMO, he said. 

“Developed nations like the US, Canada, Argentina and many countries in the European Union, which have stringent safety and testing standards, have embraced genetic engineering of food crops to improve food yields and develop pest-resistant crop varieties,” Raila said.

But last Sunday, the ODM leader faulted the government's push to import 10 million bags of GMO maize, saying it will “expose Kenyans to health risks”.

“The UDA regime will subject Kenyans to unproven and dangerous foods in an attempt to please international interests that do not care about our safety,” Raila warned.

“GMOs can cause harm to human and animal life and to the entire national ecosystems. They can dramatically reduce or eliminate plant diversity.”

Odinga said, “...as a party, we believe the matter of [genetically modified] foods in our country is too serious to be reduced to a cruel and juvenile joke.”

He said officials who lack scientific literacy on such serious matters must never use their office to demean the Kenyan people as “though we are a helpless, enslaved lot”.

The ban on GMO imports was enforced in 2012 following a presidential decree by then President Mwai Kibaki after recommendations by then Minister for Public Health Beth Mugo.

Mugo cited a study by a French university that linked cancer in rats to the consumption of genetically modified foods.

However, President William Ruto's administration has lifted the ban on the importation of GMOs.

The Cabinet recently made a resolution to allow GMO imports to fight hunger occasioned by the ravaging drought.

Lynas said the decision to ban GMOs was arrived at by the use of a study that has since been retracted.

"The ban was based on a paper retracted that said GMO causes cancer. That is not scientific. I thank President William Ruto for lifting the ban," he said.

Lynas criticised Trade CS Moses Kuria for being insensitive to the more than 4 million Kenyans going to bed on an empty stomach.

Lynas said Kuria’s remarks call for humanitarian outrage.

"We have so many things that can kill us in the country. Being in this country, you are a candidate for death," Kuria said while rooting for GMOs.

Already, the church has demanded an apology from the CS.

Prof Phelix Majiwa said the discussion about the safety of GMOs has been settled.

“What ought to be done is to go to the basics of GMOs, the science behind it and what is being done on human health and food for consumption," he said.

"There is a need to explain so that the public understands for them to participate fully.” 

Majiwa said the debate should move from safety to economics and ownership of seeds and livelihoods.

Dr Catherine Tanacha said the public has been involved in every stage of GMO technology, especially cassava.

She said the campaigns spreading misinformation normally target the media and farmers.

The scientists urged journalists to challenge sources of information, especially against the new technology.

The study was conducted in partnership with Cision Media, using its NextGen database of global media.

Articles were also subjected to sentiment analysis.

While an overwhelming majority of articles were categorised as ‘neutral’, the majority of misinformation was rated as ‘negative’ in tone.

There were no articles containing misinformation with a positive tone towards GMOs.

Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya