Farmers' attitude toward CRISPR/Cas9: The case of blast resistant rice

Abstract

New breeding techniques (NBTs) for genetically modified (GM) crops, such as CRISPR/Cas9, could represent a valuable solution for achieving a sustainable agricultural system. This study examines Italian farmers' attitudes toward CRISPR/Cas9-modified blast-resistant rice in a hypothetical context. It is one of the first studies to investigate farmers' attitudes toward NBTs. Additionally, it explores the role of sociodemographics, farm characteristics, knowledge, perceived risks, and the locus of control (LOC) in shaping attitudes toward CRISPR/Cas9-modified rice. The results show that farmers are open to this innovation and will cultivate CRISPR/Cas9-modified rice if it is available in the market. Moreover, we find subjective knowledge, practice experience, and low perceived risk in the agri-food business to be positively associated with attitudes toward CRISPR/Cas9-modified blast-resistant rice. Notably, LOC is found to be inversely related to attitude, indicating that having an external LOC improves attitudes toward CRISPR/Cas9-modified rice. The findings suggest that farmers are generally favorable to the introduction of CRISPR/Cas9 technology; thus, a revision of the current European Union policies on GM crops could meet their needs. [EconLit Citations: Q18, Q16].