GM Crops and Smallholders: Biosafety and Local Practice

There is currently limited knowledge about the effects of introducing genetically modified (GM) crops into smallholder farming or about how biosafety requirements are interpreted and adopted by smallholders. A case study was conducted on introduction of GM (Bt) maize to South African smallholders. The results reveal low general awareness about agricultural technology among smallholders and an incompatibility between smallholder practices and biosafety requirements. The implications are low understanding of biosafety measures and low compliance. Therefore, essential prerequisites for the safe introduction of GM crops to smallholders are increased smallholder knowledge on modern plant varieties and improved agricultural advisory services that better match the smallholder context. In addition, information about GM crops and biosafety implementation must be modified to better suit smallholders.