The Need for Information Sharing Among Stakeholders: Lesson for Sustainable Biotechnology Adoption

Farmers in developing countries face monumental constraints which directly impact food security and socioeconomic wellbeing. Conceivably, the sustainable adoption of any viable agricultural innovations such as biotechnology (biotech) is capable of providing some palpable solutions. However, biotech for food security enhancement or farmers’ empowerment can be stalled due to the dissemination approach utilized by stakeholders. Consequently the need for sound institutional approach in the design and dissemination of appropriate agricultural innovations especially in Africa is imperative considering the production challenges confronting farmers and the enormous socioeconomic hardships that a non-adoption or disadoption of such relevant innovation can have on the intended users. This article considered biotechnology awareness level among farmer, information sources, level of trust ascribed on information sources, possible biotech attributes that will motivate farmers to adopt it and farmers’ opinion regarding participatory innovation development and dissemination approach. Using a semi-structured questionnaire method, empirical data were obtained from respondents in Kaduna and Nasarawa States of Nigeria. Results indicated that farmers demonstrated very low knowledge of modern biotechnology although they are familiar with the traditional biotech such as fermentation and in some cases equated hybrid seeds with biotech products. Generally, potential adopters would only adopt biotech if it fulfilled certain predetermined evaluation. Conversely, farmers ascribed different level of trust on information sources in their institutional environment. Lack of information access and consultation revealed a negative effect on biotech awareness. Adopters find it irrational to bequeath scarce resources to an innovation with low awareness level or lack of understanding of its working dynamics or potential benefits. Participatory innovation dissemination approach was more favorable among farmers than other methods. Equally, innovations which were disseminated without farmers’ involvement or consultation recorded low adoption rate as farmers adopted the ‘seeing is believing’ attitude. In order to reduce risk perception on biotechnology, which is prevalent in developing countries such as Nigeria or to determine priority areas and farmers’ preferences, information sharing among stakeholders should be facilitated. It is also expected that this approach will decrease the time required to convince potential adopters to try the innovation because they will be part of the process from inception. Moreover, this approach will fundamentally reveal the perceptions of farmers about any relevant agricultural innovation like biotech and if they actually want the innovation or not.