S12E2 - Joseph Gakpo & Emma Davies - Responsible Innovation & Gene Editing in African Agriculture

Sept. 2, 2025 - GES Colloquium | FALL SEMINAR SERIES

Adapting the Responsible Innovation Framework for Gene Editing in African Agriculture

Former GES Fellows join us to discuss whether the Responsible Innovation framework can support genome-edited agriculture in Africa, given governance challenges, international pressures, and food sovereignty priorities.

The application of genome editing (GEd) in African agriculture is increasingly promoted as a response to urgent food security challenges, yet its broader social acceptance remains uncertain. The Responsible Innovation (RI) framework, developed largely in European contexts, emphasizes inclusive and anticipatory processes. This paper examines whether RI, in its current form, is applicable in Africa or whether significant adaptation is required to reflect local realities. Specifically, we assess whether the framework’s principles of anticipation, reflexivity, inclusion, and responsiveness can withstand the realities of Africa’s GEd agricultural contexts: the dominance of international funding, the outsized influence of foreign institutions, and institutional weaknesses in regulation that leave executive arms of government with disproportionate authority. We also examine the role of diverse stakeholders, including international investors, donors, and scientists, in shaping GEd trajectories in Africa, in relation to the positioning of local consumers. These reflections are further situated within urgent debates on food sovereignty and the responsibilities of African governments in providing governance guidance. While recognizing that RI is not intended as a tool for encouraging acceptance, we also consider whether its processes might nevertheless contribute to the legitimacy and social acceptability of GEd technology in Africa.

Related links:

• How hunger drives conversations on agricultural technologies: an analysis of the rhetoric of pro-GMO advocates on selected Ghanaian media platforms, Gakpo et al., Journal of Science Communication, 2025
• The evolution of media reportage on GMOs in Ghana following approval of first GM crop, Gakpo et al., _GM Crops & Food, _2024
• Download seminar poster

Ms. Emma Davies

Contributing Editor at NC Sea Grant | Profile Emma Davies is a graduate student in the M.A. in Liberal Studies Program at NC State University. She holds a B.A. in Communication (specializing in journalism). Emma is an environmental and agricultural journalist with about six years of experience in the field. She is a winner of many journalism awards, including the 2025 Science Storytelling Showcase, 2024 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ)/Alltech Young Global Leader award, the 2022 Ghana Journalists Association Business/Economics Reporter of the Year, and Aquaculture Journalist of the Year awards. Emma is also an INFAS Food Systems Fellow. Her research lies at the intersection of science and communication, with a focus on translating complex scientific knowledge into accessible narratives that inform policy, enhance public understanding, and contribute to sustainable food systems.

Joseph Opoku Gakpo, PhD

CEO of HavAfric | Profile Joseph Opoku Gakpo, Ph.D., is an agricultural communications scholar and food systems policy analyst. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education & Human Sciences (Concentration in Extension) from North Carolina State University. He additionally holds an M.A. in Liberal Studies, an M.A. in Communication Studies, and a BSc. in Agricultural Biotechnology. He is a 2016 Global Leadership Fellow of Cornell University’s Alliance for Science Program and a 2020 AgBioFEWS Fellow. Joseph teaches communication methods in agriculture, and his academic research examines how humans interact with technology. Specifically, his interdisciplinary research explores strategies for communicating agricultural biotechnologies and mechanisms for trust building. As a food systems policy analyst, he analyzes and advises on policies that shape the governance of food in Africa. He is a big believer in the age-old saying that “if hunger was only a production problem, we would have solved it by now.” He thus conducts research and facilitates stakeholder engagements that promo