Malnutrition. Knowlegde attitude and practises regarding genetically modified foods as a source of...

8/13/2019 Malnutrition. Knowlegde attitude and practises regarding genetically modified foods as a source of food security.

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DISCUSSION

CONCLUSSION

RECCOMMENDATIONS

REFERENCE

ABBREVIATIONS

GMO Genetically modified foods

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTI would like to thank the residents of Kinondoni districts especially the customers of Mwanyanyamalamarket and shoppers supermarket for taking part in this research.


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SUMMARY. There is little knowledge and a lot of falsehoods about Geneticallymodified foods in this area as an example of the rest of the region making thema less relevant option in malnutrition and Fodd security at the moment with outconcerted effort in public education.

Topic : Malnutrition

Title of the study

The knowledge attitudes and practices regarding genetically modified food in Kinondoni

district.

Objectives to determine the knowledge attitudes and practices regarding genetically modified

foods in kinondoni district.

However, the specific objectives were:

I. To determine the levels of awareness amongst the food buying public about theexistence of GMOs and effects on malnutrition.

II. To determine the food consumers interest in genetically modified food.III. To establish the level of knowledge and information available about the different types

of genetically modified foods.IV. To establish the relationship between level of education and willingness to eat

genetically modified foods.V. Top establish the relationship between level of income and the willingness to eat

genetically modified food.VI. To establish the percentage of the food buying population that is willing to try

genetically modified food.VII. To establish reasons that would make genetically modified foods appealing to public.

VIII. To establish the fears the public have regarding the safety of genetically modified food.IX. To establish the prevalence of purchase of genetically modified foods.


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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Population density (people per sq. km) in Tanzania was last reported at 50.62 in2010, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. This is much less than

Uganda (105), Nigeria, and Mauritius in Africa, and definitely much less than India with328.9 and Ghana with 87.6 but all the rest has better national nutrition statuses.

Not all of them have adopted genetically modified foods but some have and the reportsare varied some benefits and some disadvantages. This has clouded the publics interestand debate about genetically modified food and the aim of this study is to understandwhat the general public thinks about genetically modified food as a solution to hungerand malnutrition in Tanzania and Africa as a whole.

Something that is currently a very contentious debate, not even the scientificcommunities , Politians, legislators, and administrators, donors or even the people are inagreement about GMOs .

The arrears of contention are the affects on farming, safety, food security, environment,and economic concerns about the ownership of GMO seeds belonging to intellectual

property rights of international cooperations.

Definition.

Genetically modified foods are according to the GM Science Review First Report,Prepared by the UK GM Science Review panel (July 2003). Chairman Professor Sir

David King, Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government, P 9 Genetically modifiedfoods are foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced intotheir DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. These techniques have allowed forthe introduction of new crop traits as well as a far greater control over a food's geneticstructure than previously afforded by methods such as selective breeding and mutation

breeding.

The technology is not very different from breeding of livestock of selecting the best seedsfor the next crop thus increasing yield except it uses more than just selection but actualmolecular biology for alteration of genetic make up.

"Malnutrition" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary is the Malnutrition is the condition that resultsfrom eating a diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, in excess (too high in intake), or in thewrong proportions.

The contentious augment is malnutrition is killing Africans daily this technology has the potential to improve that situation by increasing the yields of food crops even in arid


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condition. And not just yields new techniques allow staple foods to have vitamins andnutrients incorporated into them, such as vitamin A in rice.

But the safety of GMOs has not been tested on the long term as it is very newtechnology the first commercial sales where done in 1994, organic foods have greaterdemand even in countries where GMOs are adopted and there effects on farming areunknowns, even the taste is said to be different. T here is broad scientific consensus that foodon the market derived from GM crops poses no greater risk to human health than conventionalfood.

Whilst the United States of America is the main producer and china the main famer andconsumer of GM food European countries have refused to adopt genetically modified foods, inAfrica only South Africa, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Egypt are adopting this technology.

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

With increase in population in Tanzania from about 10 million people in 1970, to thecurrent excess of 40 million people in 2013 projected to increase 70 million by the year2030 the major strain has been in the number on requirement of people and that isfood supply resulting in increased malnutrition.

Over the past decade over 600,000 children aged below 5 years are estimated to havedied as a result of malnutrition in Tanzania. This year another 43,000 children will dieprematurely because they are malnourished according to the report.

The affects are greater not just because of increase in population but because of changingrainfall patterns as a result of climate change and our dependence on rainfall foragriculture, not because of lack of arable land.

We need to improve and apply new technology to increase the productive utilization ofarable land to increase food supply thus reducing its cost. This is proposed to be done byadoption of genetically modified foods varieties that are drought resistant, pest resistant,some even have vitamins level increased such as special cassava breeds. They are mainlymeant to produce greater yields in more difficult environmental conditions. This could bethe only hope for fighting hunger and malnutrition the main cause of mortality in Sub

Saharan Africa after infectious diseases.

The problem comes that the people in the population know very little about geneticallymodified food, information coming from the media is biased either completely against orcompletely for GMOs there is no neutral scientific education platform for public debate.


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Thus the GMOs carry a negative connotation, some say they are expensive, some saythey are tasteless, some say they carry diseases, some say they are bad for farmers andfarming, and can cause cancer in consumers.

Exactly what people think of them and whether or not they would buy them and whatwould influence there decision is the purpose of this study before we can do research onthere commercial and farming viability we need to know about the markets perception.

Literature review

1. The adoption of Genetically Modified (GM) foods in Tanzania is putting extreme pressure on farmers and their farm land to devastating results, when farmers shouldinstead be feeding themselves.

Previously officially free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Tanzania is progressively opening the door to GM biotechnology. ActionAid Tanzania, an alliancemember of Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity (TABIO), urges the Tanzaniangovernment regulators to resist pressure to remove safety legislation protectingTanzanian farmers and consumers.

ActionAid Tanzanias Country Director, Aida Kiangi, said,

We are one of many NGOs who have seen the fallout from this technology on small farmers and their families in other countries, and I urge my fellow Tanzanians to bewareof the serious risks before it is too late.

Tina Goethe, Swissaid Food Security expert at a recent biodiversity conference hosted bySwissaid Tanzania and TABIO, also offered cautious words:

Tanzania and Switzerland are similar in many ways. In Switzerland, farming isimportant and so is good food for consumers. Where Switzerland took a few fears to builda strong alliance and support from its parliamentarians, Tanzanias civil soc iety needs toarrange itself quickly to be visible and go public and increase the pressure, not forgettingthat its government also needs allies. Women farmers have a lot to lose, for they alsohave knowledge on farming and are valuable. We need to begin r especting womens rolesas well as their rights when we talk of GMOs.

Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity is an alliance of civil society and private sectororganizations concerned with the conservation of agricultural biodiversity for livelihoodsecurity and food sovereignty.

ActionAid Tanzania, an alliance member of Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity (TABIO),

2. While cotton may not be a food, it's such a ubiquitous crop that it's worth mentioning.China produces more cotton than any country in the world and for more than 15 years, ithas been genetically modifying its cotton to help combat the effects of the bollworm. The


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boll is the protective shell that the soft cotton ball grows inside of, and it's at risk becauseof the bollworm's persistence.

(http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/5-common-genetically-modified-foods2.htm )

3. Basmati rice GM contaminated

Food manufacturers are being warned of a possible food fraud surrounding the production of imported basmati rice which could be intentionally contaminated withGMOs, according to a food industry website.http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraud

Richard Werran, the Managing Director of GM certification firm Cert ID, is reported as

saying that unauthorised GMOs have been turning up in consignments of basmati ricefrom India and Pakistan. Werran suggests that the source of the contamination may bethat the more expensive basmati rice is being adulterated with cheap genetically modifiedrice.http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraud

4. Tanzania and east African Duty free imports of cheap rice from India, Pakistan andVietnam have never been checked. The rice varieties commonly known as basmati are

banned and regulated by the European Union for fear of GM. Here they are moreexpensive and preferred in supermarkets by consumers. A special variety known asgolden rice has been genetically modified to contain extra Vitamin A (beta carotene) than

the normal varieties.( http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.html )( http://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiency )

The Guardian News paper Tanzania. Tuesday 5 November 2013 13.58 GMT

5. Scientists are developing drought-tolerant corn, something that could ease hunger acrossTanzania and sub-Saharan Africa . But the corn can't be planted here because it wasgenetically modified. Opponents of genetically modified crops have made a stand inAfrica and now villages like Engaruka are squarely in the middle of a globalideological war over agricultural technology.

Since US farmers first adopted genetically modified (GM) crops in 1996, 17 millionfarmers in 29 countries have followed suit. Europe rejected the crops, though; arguingthat farmers would be exploited by large seed companies and that more research isneeded into possible risks to the environment and food safety. And European activistshave pressured Africa to do the same. Just four African countries Sudan, Egypt,Burkina Faso and South Africa have allowed them. No one denies Africa's hunger.
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/5-common-genetically-modified-foods2.htmhttp://recipes.howstuffworks.com/5-common-genetically-modified-foods2.htmhttp://recipes.howstuffworks.com/5-common-genetically-modified-foods2.htmhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiencyhttp://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiencyhttp://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiencyhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/africahttp://www.theguardian.com/world/africahttp://www.theguardian.com/world/africahttp://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiencyhttp://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiencyhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://recipes.howstuffworks.com/5-common-genetically-modified-foods2.htm


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World crop production has more than doubled in 50 years, according to the Food andAgriculture Organisation.

But Africa lagged behind, achieving some gains while losing ground in places likeEngaruka where drought, plant diseases and other problems have knocked down yields

and depleted the available food. Now that problem takes on new urgency with UN projections that Africa's population will quadruple by the end of this century.

The question of which approach is best for Africa remains hotly disputed. It tears atTanzania, where 80% of the people live by subsistence agriculture.

African countries and research organizations, working together in the Water EfficientMaize for Africa project, have incorporated a gene from a common soil bacterium intocorn, enabling plants to produce kernels even while short of water. The modified corn isexpected to increase yields by 25% during moderate drought. Tanzania is a membernation in the project. But regulations it adopted in 2009 have effectively blocked GM

crops.Under a "strict liability" rule, anyone associated with importing, moving, storing andusing GM products is liable if someone makes a claim of harm, injury or loss caused bythe products. Such a claim could reach beyond personal loss or injury to include damageto the environment and to biological diversity. Under that policy, no researchorganisation has dared to introduce genetically modified crops into Tanzania's fields.

At Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute in Dar es Salaam, plant virologist Joseph Ndunguru has genetically transformed cassava to resist viruses that are devastating thecrop. Instead of starting field trials, Ndunguru is waiting for new regulations. "There is a

lot of fear," he said.As for water-efficient corn, Alois Kullaya said research has been on hold since 2009. Heis Mikocheni's principal agricultural research officer and also the Tanzanian co-ordinatorof the corn project. Tanzanian scientists have not been able to conduct field trials with thecorn they have developed in laboratories.

The scientists have urged Tanzania's government to shift to a "fault-based" regulatoryapproach under which a heavier burden of proof would fall on someone claiming harm orinjury.

Pushing the government from the other side is the Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity, acoalition of environmental and organic farming groups. "Whoever introduces GM [crops]should be responsible for what happens on the ground," said Abdallah Mkindi, allianceco-ordinator. Mkindi said scientists serve as a front for multinational seed companies. Ifregulations were relaxed, he said, companies could hold small-scale farmers ransom, andfood security would be threatened.


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"Multinational companies are simply here to expand their business," Mkindi said. "GM isnot a solution to famine."

Some coalition members argue that Africa's food sovereignty is at risk if its farmersaccept seeds and plant cuttings created by large, outside organisations. Some also say that

a hi-tech fix for Africa's food insecurity is a false promise given the many other problems begging to be addressed including poor access to land, water, credit, agriculturalextension services, roads and markets.

Of 19 alliance members, 11 are European-based groups or have European affiliations.The expert authority the alliance cites for claims about GM crops is from London-basedEarth Open Source.

Beyond grassroots activism, Europeans have profoundly influenced African attitudes byrejecting genetically modified crops, Ndunguru said.

"People go to the internet, and they read the information put there by European anti-GMgroups, and they ask, 'If this technology is safe, why don't the Europeans use it?'" he said.

Now, some experts are accusing European activists of placing ideology above Africa'sfood security.

"Opposition to biotechnology in Africa started before there was much scientific researchon the subject outside South Africa. So Africa's first import was opposition to thetechnology before the products got there," said Calestous Juma, a Harvard professor ofinternational development and a native Kenyan. "This was because the [European Union]constructed a resistance industry and exported it through a variety of channels."

American advocates for GM crops have been busy in Africa, too. Support for the WaterEfficient Maize project came from the US Agency for International Development as wellas the Bill and Melinda Gates and the Howard G Buffett foundations. The project'sdrought-tolerance gene came from Monsanto, which has said the seeds will go royalty-free to African farmers. The project also produces conventionally bred corn.

Other GM research targeted for Africa is also backed by American money and knowhow.One target has been the vitamin A deficiency that causes blindness in millions of Africanchildren. Helen Keller International is involved in engineering orange-fleshed sweet

potatoes to deliver extra helpings of the micronutrient that the body transforms into

vitamin A. St Louis-based Donald Danforth Plant Science Centre is working in Kenyaand Nigeria to boost that pro-vitamin A and other nutrients in cassava.

Another goal is to address deficiencies in the resources available to African farmers.Dupont Pioneer, for example, is helping develop corn that makes more efficient use ofnitrogen so that farmers could get by with less fertiliser.


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Behind the individual projects, GM foes suspect a conspiracy to slip Americanagribusiness into Africa. In 2012, the Obama administration prompted a flurry ofsuspicion when it used a G8 summit to announce the new alliance for food security andnutrition, with the goal of lifting 50 million Africans out of poverty by 2022.

A working group of the German Forum on Environment & Development reacted with astatement saying the initiative "paves the way for radical opening of markets forinternational seed and agrarian corporations in African countries". That responseexpressed the essence of the tension that persists across Africa with US technologyrolling forward against pushback from Europeans and also from some like-mindedAmericans.The controversy flared again this year after the World Food Prize Foundationannounced that its prestigious annual award would go to three scientists who laid thegroundwork for today's GM crops 30 years ago by developing techniques for insertingforeign genes into the DNA of plants.

While the global debate rages, many families in Engaruka remain perilously close to

starvation after recent droughts destroyed crops and killed 65% of the livestock.Before 2009, Thomas Saitoti said he owned 30 cows. Now he has just two. His familylost its cushion against the next drought. They ran out of food in April and were saved bya government handout of corn.

In the next house, Juliana Saitoti sat shelling beans. Thanks to rain this year, her familyhad food in September, even eggs for the children. But, with the dry season, food wouldsoon run out. "Then we will not have enough to eat," she said.

This article appeared in Guardian Weekly , which incorporates material from the

Washington Post

6. EEB 180: Genetic Engineering in Developing Countries

http://johnmm.bol.ucla.edu/ethicsFoodAid.htm

GM food aid to southern Africa

US food aid to southern Africa:

In 2002, famine threatened many lives in southern Africa. A large quantity of food aid was offered by the US; however it was likely to contain GM corn

kernels. Angola, Lesotho and Swaziland accepted the food aid. Zimbabwe and Mozambique resisted the GM food supplies. They were concerned that they had not yet formulated a GM biosecurity policy. Mozambique expressed additional concern about GM seeds being transported across its

territory and contaminating crops.
http://www.theguardian.com/weeklyhttp://www.theguardian.com/weeklyhttp://www.theguardian.com/weekly


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Zambia then joined the countries opposing GM food. Most countries accepted the corn after it had been milled so that GM seeds could not be

planted (these countries included Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique and Malawi). Zambia was not satisfied by this.

Zambia's rejection of food aid: Zambia rejected the milled GM corn on the basis that the health risks of GM foods "are

inconclusive." This was based on the findings of a delegation of Zambian scientists and economists on a fact-

finding tour of labs in Europe, the US and South Africa. Their report inspired the Zambian president to label GM crops as "poison" and to say that he

"would rather die" than eat "poison." The US Food and Drug Administration said that GM corn had been consumed worldwide for 6

years without side-effects. Supporters have pointed out that there is enough GE-free food in the world - the problems are

politics and distribution. Zambia eventually accepted GM food aid after 2 more years of famine. Despite this, the Zambian Minister for Agriculture insisted that the ban remains.

Four basic ethical principles

Many (but not all) ethical principles can be derived from four basic principles. These four principles are fundamental for a range of cultures.

8. Record GMO crops harvest in South Africa 2011.

South Africa chalked up a record biotech crop in 2012 of 2.9-million hectares (2.3-million in 2011), with GM in the lead 5% over the previous year.

Speaking at a biotech press conference in Pretoria, president of AgriSA, Johannes Mller,said soybean production had shot up to 500 000 hectares (450 000ha 2011), an increaseof 11%, of which 90%, or 450 000ha, was herbicide-tolerant biotech.

Biotech cotton declined to 11 000ha (15 000ha 2011), 100% biotech and 95% werestacked traits. Decline was mainly due to lower cotton prices, higher maize, soybean andother crop prices.

Approximately 16 million hectares accumulative of GMO maize, white and yellow, were planted in the 12-year period 2000 to 2012, producing a grain crop of over 40 million MTwithout a single report of negative effects on humans, animals or the environment.

White maize of 1.641-million hectares comprised 80.5% biotech or 1.321-millionhectares. Yellow maize on 1.189-million hectares comprised 93% biotech or 1.106-million hectares.


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A number of biotech crops have been given approval for field testing, including drought-tolerant and insect-resistant/drought-tolerant maize and cotton, altered sugars in sugarcane, and altered starch in cassava. Such combinations will offer flexibility in managingweed and insect problems.

South Africa has shifted its GM maize exports from Africa to worldwide new marketsand carry-over stocks were almost depleted.

In terms of the GMO Act, all GMO-related activities are subject to a permit application.There were 294 GMO permits granted from 31 January to October 2012. Maizeaccounted for 86%, soybeans 6.5%, cotton 2.8%, GM vaccines 4.4% and one permit eachfor sugar cane and cassava.

Mandatory labeling of GMO products that should have been implemented in 2011 is onhold. Strong criticism from stakeholders in the food chain, due to the ambiguity andcomplexity of the issue, has resulted in the department of trade and industry appointing a

task team to address the conflicts and confusion of the labeling regulation. The issue isstill being debated.

It is estimated that the economic gain from biotech crops for South Africa for the period1998 to 2011 was US$922 million and US$98 million for 2011 alone. (Brookes andBarfoot, 2013, forthcoming.)

(http://www.harvestsa.co.za/articles/record-gmo-crops-in-2012-4999.html)


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Methodology

STUDY AREA

The study was conducted at Mwananyamala located at Dar-es- salaam city in Kinondoni District.

Kinondoni is the Northernmost of the three Districts in Dar-es-salaam Tanzania the others being,

Temeke to the southeast, and Ilala Downtown Dar es salaam. To the East is the Indian Ocean, to the

North and west the Pwani region of Tanzania. It is within Latitude -6.75 and a Longitude of 39.17 more

than 50 meters above sea level with an area of approximately 531km 2.According to the 2002 Tanzania

National Census the population of Kinondoni was 1,088,867. The current projection of Dar-es-salaam

population is approximately four million. The original inhabitants of Kinondoni were the Zaramo and

Ndengereko, but due to urbanization, the District has become multi-ethnic. Administratively Kinondoni

is divided into 4 divisions, 27 different Wards and 113 sub-wards.

STUDY DESIGN

The study type is a descriptive prospective study using both qualitative and quantitativetechniques

TARGET POPULATION

Kinondoni District is the northernmost of three districts in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the others being

Temeke (to the far Southeast) and Ilala (downtown Dar es Salaam). To the east is the Indian Ocean, tothe north and west the Pwani Region of Tanzania. The 2002 Tanzanian National Census showed that the

population of Kinondoni was 1,083,913. The area of Kinondoni is 531 km.

STUDY POPULATION

All residents will be included and represented by a random sample. But specifically the residence who

are doing there shopping for food stuff at the mwanyamala market and other local supermarkets such

as shoppers plaza and milimani city.

VARIABLES

Dependent Age, Sex, Occupation, Income, Level of education.

Independent Variables Level of awareness about GM food, source of information about

GM food, Previous use of GM food, Willingness to try GM food, Type of GM food


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willing to try, Fears about GM food, Access to buy GM foods, Awareness of Genetic

food varieties with increased vitamins. Willingness to eat GM foods aid in case of

drought.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUEI will use simple random sampling procedure.

SAMPLE SIZE.

N=Z2PQ/ E

Where P = Prevalence.

n = Sample size

Z = Standard deviation (1.96)

e = Error of occurrence (0.05)

Prevalence = No. of existing cases * 1000

Total population

P=6% from available data

From n = Z2P (1- P) / e 2 = (1.96) 2 * 0.06* (0.88) (0.05) 2

N=3.84*0.1*0.88/0.0025

N=135 I sampled 280 people to get better data.

DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES

In this study when collecting data from Mikocheni A, I used multiple data collection techniquesincluding interviews, questionnaire and use of available data.

DATA ANALYSIS


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Questioner

1. What do you know about genetically modified foods? (mazao yalio boreshwa

ki vinasaba maumbile)

a. Nothingb. A little bit.

c. A lot.

d. I am an expert on the subject?

e. I am not sure about the accuracy of my information.

2. Name examples of genetically modified food that you have heard of?

a. Rice with vitamin A

b. Drought resistant maize

c. Pest resistant tomatoes

d. others

e. None

3. Where did you get this information about GMF from?

a. Newspapers

b. TV

c. Internet

d. Radio

e. Magazines

f. Friends

4. Have you ever consumed any genetically modified food?

a. Yes

b. No

5. When did you last consume genetically modified food?

a.

Many years agob. Last year

c. This year

d. never

6. Where did you consume genetically modified food?

a. Within Tanzania


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b. Outside Tanzania

c. Never

7. What type of food did you consume?

a. Maize meal

b. Rice

c. Fruits eg papaya

d. Juice

e. Others

8. Are you aware about any of the following? That..

a. Genetically modified maize seeds can be drought resistant?

b. Genetically modified rice can have additional nutrients?

c. Genetically modified food has modified DNA structure?

d. Genetically modified tomatoes can be pest resistant?

e. Genetically modified maize is developed in Tanzania?

f. Genetically modified food is imported to Tanzania?

g. European countries advocate against genetically modified food?

h. Organic food is more popular than genetically modified food?

i. No one has ever gotten sick from eating genetically modified food?

9.

What do you believe to be the positive elements of genetically modified food?a. Cheaper

b. More quantity

c. Better quality

d. Better taste

e. Increased nutritional elements

f. Nothing good

10. What do you think of genetically modified food?

a. They are good

b. They are bad

c. They are okay

11. What do you think is bad about genetically modified foods?

a. They are more expensive


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b. They are bad for the environments

c. They go against my faith

d. They cause diseases such as cancer

e. They are bad for farmers

f. nothing

12. As far as farming is concerned what do you know regarding GM food crops.

a. The seeds are expensive as they are imported.

b. The produce does not reproduce you must buy seeds each time to

plant.

c. The farmers will benefit from increased produce and higher yields.

d. The GMF require more fertilizer and pesticide.

e. The GMF require less fertilizer and pesticide.

f. The GMF require less water and irrigation.

g. The GMF require more water and irrigation

h. nothing


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Data collection and analysis.

What do you know about genetically modified foods? (mazao yalio boreshwa ki vinasaba maumbile)

a nothing 145 51%b A little bit 95 33%c A lot 12 4.20%d Am an expert 2 0.70%e Am not sure 26 9.20%Total 280 100%

Name examples of genetically modified food that you have heard of?

a Rice with vitamin A 6 2%b Drought resistant maize 34 12%c Pest resistant tomatoes 17 6%d others 42 15%e none 174 62%

nothing

A little bit

A lot

Am an expert

Am not sure

Rice with vitamin A

Drought resistantmaize

Pest resistanttomatoes

others

none


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Where did you get this information about Genetically Modified food from?

a. Newspapers 104 37%

b. TV 106 38%c. Internet 25 9%

d. Radio 30 11%

e. Magazines 12 4%

f. Friends 11 4%

Have you ever consumed any genetically modified food?

A. Yes 14 5.00%B. No 266 95.00%

a. Newspapers

b. TVc. Internet

d. Radio

e. Magazines

f. Friends

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1 2

B. No

A. Yes


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When did you last consume genetically modified food?

a. Many years ago 1 0.36%b. Last year 4 1.43%c. This year 20 7.14%d. never 266 95.00%

Where did you consume genetically modified food?

a. Within Tanzania 2 0.70%b. Outside Tanzania 12 4.20%

c.

Never266 95%

a. Many years ago

b. Last year

c. This year

d. never

0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%

a. Within Tanzania

b. Outside Tanzania

c. Never


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What type of genetically modified foods did you consume?

a. Maize meal 1 9%b. Rice 0 0c. Fruits Eg papaya 3 25%

d. Juice 5 42%e. Others 2 17%

Did you know any of the following about genetically modified foods? That

Nb this question allowed for more than one response for each so the total number of respondents was280 but the total number of responses was 426.

a. Genetically modified maize seeds can be drought resistant? 42 9.85915493b. Genetically modified rice can have additional nutrients? 12 2.816901408c. Genetically modified food has modified DNA structure? 30 7.042253521d. Genetically modified tomatoes can be pest resistant? 22 5.164319249e. Genetically modified maize is developed in Tanzania? 14 3.286384977f. Genetically modified food is imported to Tanzania? 50 11.7370892g. European countries advocate against genetically modified food? 56 13.14553991h. Organic food is more popular than genetically modified food? 160 37.55868545

I. No one has ever gotten sick from eating genetically modifiedfood? 40 9.389671362Total responses 426 Percentage

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

a. Maize meal

b. Rice

c. Fruits eg papaya

d. Juice

e. Others


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23

What are the positive elements of genetically modified foods?

a. Cheaper 54 19.28571

b.

More quantity 34 12.14286c. Better quality 18 6.428571

d. Better taste 4 1.428571e. Increased nutritional elements 17 6.071429f. Nothing good 153 54.64286

a. Genetically modified maizeseeds can be drought resistant?

b. Genetically modified rice canhave additional nutrients?

c. Genetically modified food hasmodified DNA structure?

d. Genetically modified tomatoescan be pest resistant?

e. Genetically modified maize isdeveloped in Tanzania?

f. Genetically modified food isimported to Tanzania?

g. European countries advocate

against genetically modified food?h. Organic food is more popularthan genetically modified food?

i. No one has ever gotten sickfrom eating genetically modifiedfood?

a. Cheaper

b. More quantity

c. Better quality

d. Better taste

e. Increasednutritional elementsf. Nothing good


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24

In general what do you think about genetically modified food?

a. They are good 12 4.285714

b.

They are bad 128 45.71429c. They are okay 20 7.142857d. Dont know 130 46.42857

What do you believe is bad about genetically modified food?

a. They are more expensive 42 15b. They are bad for the environments 34 12.14286

c. They go against my faith 30 10.71429d. They cause diseases such as cancer 120 42.85714e. They are bad for farmers 42 15f. nothing 41 14.64286

4.285714286

45.71428571

7.142857143

46.42857143 a. They are good

b. They are bad

c. They are okay

d. Dont know

0 20 40 60

a. They are more expensive

b. They are bad for the

c. They go against my faith

d. They cause diseases such as

e. They are bad for farmers

f. nothing


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25

As far as farming of gm foods what do you think or believe?

a. The seeds are expensive as they are imported. 52 18.57143b. The produce does not reproduce you must buy seeds eachtime to plant. 24 8.571429

c. The farmers will benefit from increased produce and higheryields. 56 20

d. The GMF require more fertilizer and pesticide. 21 7.5

e. The GMF require less fertilizer and pesticide. 29 10.35714

f. The GMF require less water and irrigation. 23 8.214286

g. The GMF require more water and irrigation 26 9.285714h. nothing 49 17.5

19%

9%

20%

9%

10%

8%

9%

18%

a. The seeds are expensive as theyare imported.

b. The produce does not reproduceyou must buy seeds each time toplant.c. The farmers will benefit fromincreased produce and higher yields.

d. The GMF require more fertilizerand pesticide.

e. The GMF require less fertilizerand pesticide.

f. The GMF require less water andirrigation.

g. The GMF require more water andirrigation

h. nothing


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26

Discussion

According to the finding it is evident that there is very little knowledge about genetically modified foodsin kinondoni district amongst the food buying public. I interviewed men and women at three differentmarkets whilst or after they did there shopping at Mwananyamala market, at shoppers super market

and at Mililani city Shoprite.

More than 50 percent of all the respondents said they did not know any thing about geneticallymodified food, they dint even know what they are. More than 60 percent could not mention orrecognize even one specific type of genetically modified food. The majority of those who had a clueabout genetically modified food had read about them in the newspapers, but very few claimed to haveheard about them on radio. More than 95% of the respondents have never eaten genetically modifiedfood, the 5% that say the have ever consumed genetically modified food, most consumed it recentlywithin the last year, and the majority of them while visiting countries out side Tanzania. But becausemore than 50% dont know what genetically modified food is it very possible that many more haveeaten genetically modifi ed food but they dont know it. Of the 5 % that say they have eaten geneticallymodified food, the majority claim to have consumed imported juices, fruits and maize meal.

When asked specific question about genetically modified food, we see a distinctive lack of knowledgeabout genetically modified food. Less than 10 percent of the respondents knew that geneticallymodified food can be designed to be drought resistant, less than two percent that genetically modifiedfood can be designed to have extra nutrients and vitamins, less than 7% knew that genetically modifiedfood has been altered at a molecular of DNA level, less than 5% knew that genetically modified food canbe designed to be pest resistant, only 3 percent knew that there is ongoing research to developgenetically modified food carried out in Tanzania, by government research institutes, and Tanzaniabiotechnologist, but 11 percent believe that genetically modified food is imported in Tanzania, about thesame number 13% knew that there countries that are campaigning against genetically modified food,and a less that surprising almost 40% of the respondents said that they are aware that organic food ismore popular than genetically modified food. Only 9% are aware that no one in the world has ever beenreported sick because of eating genetically modified food. When asked about what they believed to bethe positive aspects of genetically modified food, more than 54% of the respondents believed that thereis nothing positive about them, only about 12% thought they may be cheaper than organic food, andless than 5% in total believed that they have increased nutritional value, or better taste. On the otherhand when asked what they thought was bad about genetically modified food, the almost 42%believed t hat they cause cancer a great misconception, genetically modified foods dont have any knownrisk factors that predispose any one to cancer. Only 14% responded that they dont believe there is anyharm in genetically modified food, some said they go against there faith, others they taste bad, otherssaid that they are bad for the farmers.

When we asked the consumers what they knew about farming genetically modified food, 17% said theydint know anything, 30% said they require more water, pesticides, fertilizer, to grow, only 20% believedthey would lead to increased yields for the farmer. Then 20% are aware that genetically modified seedsare expensive.


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Conclusion.

As far as knowledge is concerned the majority of residence of kinondoni dont know any thing a boutgenetically modified food.

As far as consuming them the residence of Kinondoni do not consume genetically modified food.

As far as attitude is concerned the residence of Kinondoni district, do no like genetically modified foodand even if they were available on the shelves the majority would not buy them.

They prefer organic and natural food, they have many misconceptions about genetically modified foodsuch as causing cancer.

So if we were to use genetically modified food to bridge the gap in food supply to reduce nationalmalnutrition, by increasing yields witch would reduce the cost of buying food and make them affordableto every one, even during droughts with drought resistant varieties, reduce loses due to sporadicdisease and pest attacks in farms, add nutrients to staple food such as rice that many children lack inthere diets eating only the staple like rice, we would still have a big problem as the food consumingpublic do not know any thing about genetically modified food, and as the law stipulates that they mustbe properly labeled many would not buy them as the believe they are harmful to there health, andgenerally have a negative attitude towards them.

Recommendations

Other means of increasing food security must be explored, such as better irrigation and water storagemethods and techniques to reduce reliance on the ever more unreliable rainfall, alternative foodsources with good nutrient values such as some insects and protection and replenishing of fisheries

including underwater plankton the food for fish.

Bread baskets In the country should be totally covered with plantations, no square inch of arable landshould be left idle this mean reaching out to public, private and foreign investors to encourage them toconcentrate on the agricultural business, attractions should include reduced taxes, and long term leases,with the population expected to reach 70 million doing any thing else will be a recipe for disaster as faras nutrition is concerned. Modern agricultural methods such as drip irrigation, green houses, highquality seeds research a development, having a fertilizer manufacturing plant within the region thatproduces high quality fertilizer at low cost, training of farmers on site on there farms by agriculturalofficers about what to do to increase there yields protect there soils, on radio, and in village meeting.

The laws regarding genetically modified food need to be reexamined, to encourage there development,then public education is the key to there acceptability, very few people read newspapers which is wherethe majority who knew some thing about genetically modified food read about them, radio is the mostcommon means of communicating to citizenry. It will take many years of research and development todevelop seeds within the region so they dont have to be imported, and many more of trials to provethem as beneficial, at the same time education not just on the meaning of balanced diet, but theimprovements in the seed technology that is coming in the near future.


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References

GM Science Review First Report, Prepared by the UK GM Science Review panel (July 2003). ChairmanProfessor Sir David King, Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government, P 9

James, Clive (1996). "Global Review of the Field Testing and Commercialization of Transgenic Plants:1986 to 1995". The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. Retrieved 17July 2010.

World Health Organization. Food safety: 20 questions on genetically modified foods. AccessedDecember 22, 2012.

http://www.harvestsa.co.za/articles/record-gmo-crops-in-2012-4999.html Monday 12th

Dec 2013.

http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-

/ya5hia/-/index.html) ( http://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiency

http://johnmm.bol.ucla.edu/ethicsFoodAid.htm

The Guardian News paper Tanzania. Tuesday 5 November 2013 13.58 GMT

http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-

rice-fraud

"Malnutrition" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary

http://irri.org/golden-rice
http://www.harvestsa.co.za/articles/record-gmo-crops-in-2012-4999.htmlhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiencyhttp://johnmm.bol.ucla.edu/ethicsFoodAid.htmhttp://johnmm.bol.ucla.edu/ethicsFoodAid.htmhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Food-manufacturers-warned-of-GMO-rice-fraudhttp://johnmm.bol.ucla.edu/ethicsFoodAid.htmhttp://irri.org/golden-rice/vitamin-a-deficiencyhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Duty-free-rice-imports-queried/-/1840392/2055470/-/ya5hia/-/index.htmlhttp://www.harvestsa.co.za/articles/record-gmo-crops-in-2012-4999.html

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