{"id":12975,"date":"2026-06-20T12:26:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:26:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/farmers-more-keen-on-yield-potential-of-gm-crops-than-risks-study\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T12:26:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:26:03","slug":"farmers-more-keen-on-yield-potential-of-gm-crops-than-risks-study","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/farmers-more-keen-on-yield-potential-of-gm-crops-than-risks-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Farmers more keen on yield potential of GM crops than risks – Study"},"content":{"rendered":"

A study conducted by IITA and the Africa College-University of Leeds in Tanzania reveals that local farmers are more interested on the productivity potential of genetically-modified (GM) crops than they are worried about the possible risks associated with their use. The study, completed in late June, was carried out in consultation with the Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute and the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology. It covered three districts in Tanzania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research, which assessed the underst anding and attitudes of local farmers toward GM crops using disease-resistant cassava as example, also revealed that the level of awareness and basic underst anding of GM crops by small-scale farmers is very low. Similarly, it was found that related knowledge level of local agricultural extension officers and district staff \u2013 primary sources of information of the farmers \u2013 was also inadequate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the farmer-respondents never heard of GM crops before. Some wondered whether they are new types of crops similar to hybrids, while others speculated on their look, taste and growth behaviour. The study identified the lack of related terminology in Swahili as a barrier to raising awareness on GM crops in Tanzania, and recommended that authorities first develop related terms in the local language before launching awareness campaigns in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Caroline Herron, IITA Virologist involved in the study, said that “it is important for the scientific community to raise the awareness level of farmers by providing accurate and objective information so they can make informed and autonomous decisions on the potential of GM crops in their agricultural practice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe tendency of farmers to focus on short term gains in productivity should not prevent the potential middle and long term risks being fully explained to them to allow them to make clear judgment,” she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from yield, other important qualities enumerated by the farmers include growth patterns, pest and disease resistance, labor requirements and taste. Asked whether they would eat GM crops, a respondent said (in Bagamoyo), “\u2026because of the way these crops are made, I would be worried about eating them unless they (scientists) ate with me. This would assure me that they are safe.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The farmers indicated that they would only participate in the farm trials of GM crops if the necessary safety regulations were in place. The study recommended that any field testing of GM crops should be conducted in close consultation with relevant government bodies backed by biosafety legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tanzania’s biosafety framework has recently been approved by the country’s cabinet after a lengthy consultation process. The country is also a signatory to the CARTAGENA protocol which outlines the minimum st andard of biosafety regulations that must be adopted by all signatories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

###<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pour plus d'informations, veuillez contacter,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Caroline Herron, c.herron@cgiar.org<\/a>
Virologist
IITA -Tanzania<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catherine Njuguna, c.njuguna@cgiar.org<\/a>
Charg\u00e9(e) de la communication d'entreprise (Afrique orientale et australe)
IITA-Tanzanie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeffrey T. Oliver, o.jeffrey@cgiar.org<\/a>
Charg\u00e9 de communication d'entreprise (international)
Bureau de la communication
Si\u00e8ge de l'IITA
Ibadan, Nig\u00e9ria<\/p>\n\n\n\n

URL : www.iita.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c0 propos de l'IITA<\/b>
L'Afrique est confront\u00e9e \u00e0 des probl\u00e8mes complexes qui minent l'agriculture et la vie des populations. Nous d\u00e9veloppons des solutions agricoles avec nos partenaires pour lutter contre la faim et la pauvret\u00e9. Notre recherche pour le d\u00e9veloppement (R4D), maintes fois r\u00e9compens\u00e9e, repose sur une r\u00e9flexion cibl\u00e9e et autoris\u00e9e, ancr\u00e9e dans les besoins de d\u00e9veloppement de l'Afrique subsaharienne. Nous travaillons avec des partenaires en Afrique et au-del\u00e0 pour r\u00e9duire les risques pour les producteurs et les consommateurs, am\u00e9liorer la qualit\u00e9 et la productivit\u00e9 des cultures, et g\u00e9n\u00e9rer de la richesse gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 l'agriculture. L'IITA est une organisation internationale de recherche pour le d\u00e9veloppement sans but lucratif, cr\u00e9\u00e9e en 1967, dirig\u00e9e par un Conseil d'administration et soutenue principalement par le CGIAR.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A study conducted by IITA and the Africa College-University of Leeds in Tanzania reveals that local farmers are more interested on the productivity potential of genetically-modified (GM) crops than they are worried about the possible risks associated with their use. The study, completed in late June, was carried out in consultation with the Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute and the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology. It covered three districts in Tanzania.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":12976,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"tags":[],"science-area":[],"program":[],"location":[27],"news-type":[],"hub":[],"crop":[],"impact-areas":[],"item-year":[187],"class_list":["post-12975","news-item","type-news-item","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","location-tanzania","item-year-187"],"yoast_head":"\nFarmers more keen on yield potential of GM crops than risks - Study - IITA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/farmers-more-keen-on-yield-potential-of-gm-crops-than-risks-study\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Farmers more keen on yield potential of GM crops than risks - Study - IITA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A study conducted by IITA and the Africa College-University of Leeds in Tanzania reveals that local farmers are more interested on the productivity potential of genetically-modified (GM) crops than they are worried about the possible risks associated with their use. 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