Bridging the gap: Effective communication strategies for genetic biocontrol technologies
Bridging the gap: Effective communication strategies for genetic biocontrol technologies
Tags: Africa, Genetic biocontrol, Stakeholder engagementCaroline Thuo, African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium, 2025.
The 2nd Global Congress on Genetic Biocontrol Technologies took place from March 17-20, in Accra, Ghana. The Congress was jointly organized by the African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium, Ghana’s National Biosafety Authority and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH). Held under the theme “Harnessing Genetic Biocontrol Potential Solutions in a Changing Climate”, the event brought together delegates from 19 countries across different continents. It united professionals from diverse disciplines, including scientists, policymakers, regulatory experts and science communicators. The first two days of the congress featured intensive pre-congress workshops and courses focusing on:
- Regulatory frameworks and decision-making processes for emerging biotechnologies
- Strategic communication of genetic biocontrol technologies
- Biosafety and biosecurity protocols for high-containment facilities
The pre-congress course on communicating genetic biocontrol technologies attracted mostly journalists and science communicators from the African region. Participants explored topics such as the value of message mapping, a structured technique for crafting coherent narratives grounded in robust scientific evidence. The course also highlighted the critical role of media relationships in effective science communication. Scientists attending the course were encouraged to identify and utilize appropriate media channels suited to specific messages. They also gained a better understanding of the importance of proactively organizing field visits, media briefings, and events to support accurate reporting of scientific advances, and of consistently sharing timely and reliable information to media representatives.
