Exploring the awareness and acceptance of UiTM Selangor students towards genetically modified (GM) rice / Noraini Saripudin

The emergence of genetic engineering technology ill agriculture, particularly in relation to genetically modified crops have been a heated topic of discussion among scientists, politicians and the general public; and this have given rise to a variety of different perceptions. Previous studies conducted across different continents have concluded that there are different levels of awareness and acceptance amongst the public towards GM food such as com, potatoes, soy and rice. The aim of this study is to explore the awareness and acceptance of GM food .in among students in UiTM Selangor. Two methods of data collection were utilized for this study. In-depth interviews with two representatives from two different fields and focus group discussion with sixteen students from two Universiti Teknologi MARA campuses in Selangor. Findings compiled from the data collected revealed that a majority of the students in Malaysia have a neutral stance in regard to their acceptance towards GM rice. The public have low awareness and a negative perception towards GM food in general. Most students were found to have a moderate level of awareness towards GM rice. In addition, they are rather undecided regarding their acceptance towards GM rice. As for the public, their perception and acceptance towards GM food is negative and there are several points that could be taken into consideration by the government and relevant bodies in order to enhance the acceptance of GM food in the future. These include incorporating genetic modification technology into our education syllabus starting from primary to tertiary levels introducing strategic agricultural policies and plans which will be beneficial for farmers and last but not least introducing programs to improve GM awareness across all levels of our society.