Facts and Myths about GM Food—The Case of Poland

Paulina Kubisz, Graham Dalton, Edward Majewski and Kinga Pogodzińska
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Paulina Kubisz: Faculty of Economics, MBA in Agribusiness Management, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Graham Dalton: Formerly of Aberdeen University and the Scottish Agricultural College, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK
Edward Majewski: Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland
Kinga Pogodzińska: Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: The importance of biotechnology for the global economy is growing, including developments in the field of genetically modified organisms (GMO), which have revolutionized the cultivation of several major food crops. Despite the many benefits from introducing genetic modifications to crops, the Polish society shows a strong distrust towards GMO-based food. The negative attitude of the society towards genetically modified (GM) food could be considered irrational. It is not supported by adequate knowledge and is based on fears, despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence of threats of GM products towards the environment, health, or human life. Details of these perceptions were revealed within Polish society from surveys of three groups of respondents: consumers, students, farmers. Data from the surveys have been compared with the answers to the same questions by five biotechnology experts from Polish academic institutions. A general observation from the analysis of the survey results and past studies quoted in the literature review is that the level of understanding and acceptance of GMO technologies is still low in Polish society, and, to a large extent, is based on stereotypes rather than on scientific knowledge. They show broad support for the general benefits of GMOs, which does not vary between the three groups of respondents surveyed, but noticeably differs with the experts’ views. GMOs have allies, but also opponents who have their own beliefs shaped largely by unreliable information disseminated through the Internet and social media. Providing more reliable targeted information on GMOs based on scientific evidence can have an important role in changing polarized attitudes towards GM food.

Keywords: GMO; genetically modified food; public attitude towards GM food (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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