Societal perceptions and attitudes towards genetically modified (GM) crops, feed, and food products in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT) region: A systematic literature review

Modern biotechnology and associated genetic modification techniques can help tackle several global challenges including, inter alia, climate change and food security. However, there is a great deal of global controversy regarding the prudence of their application in food production. Hence, societal acceptance of GM crops and foods is crucial for their proliferation and commercialisation to be successful. In response to an evidenced lack of research on attitudes towards GM foods in emerging economies and developing countries, and following a systematic approach with a thematic analysis tool, this review compiled current knowledge and available evidence on perceptions and attitudes towards GM crops and foods in the MENAT region to support existing and future research and identify existent knowledge gaps. The findings revealed that people in the MENAT region hold a mixture of positive and negative attitudes towards GM foods and crops, with negative attitudes predominating, and also exhibited poor levels of knowledge about GM foods and their local existence. Overall, plantbased GM products were, notably, more acceptable than the application of genetic modification on animals for food production. The results also demonstrated the importance of risk and benefit perception, GM knowledge and educational background, and cultural and moral beliefs in the formation of attitudes towards GM foods and crops. In conclusion, social research of GM application in food and agriculture sectors in the MENAT region is still in its early stages and future and more targeted research in this area is highly encouraged.