SciCom - The African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium

SCiCOM

Science Communication Forum

SCICOM was officially launched on February 3, 2023 as a response to a GMO 101 Course for journalists and science communicators that was held between February 1-3 at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies (KSMS). During the course, both journalists, science communicators and the scientists expressed a commitment to work towards continuous engagement, partnership and common approaches that provide better understanding on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), their regulation and on emerging biotechnologies which include gene drives/editing and synthetic biology techniques.

It was officially commissioned during the 1^st Global Congress on New Emerging Genetic Biocontrol Technologies held on August 28-31 2023.

Vision

To enhance interactions among science communicators, scientists and interested stakeholders for knowledge exchange and deliberation on issues related to genetic biocontrol technologies.

Mission

To be the multidisciplinary Forum dedicated to supporting communication and continuous engagement, partnerships and common approaches that provide better understanding on science matters and issues related to genetic biocontrol technologies to the publics and professionals in Africa.

SCICOM- FORUM works to:

To provide a platform form scientists, Journalists and Science Communicators to interact and to learn from each other.
To help Journalists, science communicators as well as scientists, researchers, and developers to overcome some of the challenges they face during communicating, interpreting, and breaking down the science to make it consumable to the public.
Ensure that GMO research is better understood by journalists, so they can report accurately and in context; and
To coordinate journalists with scientists for interview on GMO and related fields.
To promote and advocate for increase in funding at national and regional levels towards training journalists and science communicators with a focus on existing and emerging biotechnologies.
To work towards enhancing public participation, biosafety communication, awareness, and sensitization programs on GMO issues among various stakeholders.

A list of issue areas we address includes, but is not limited to:

Biotechnology and genetic engineering
Development and governance of GMOs and related topics
Emerging biotechnologies which include gene drives/editing and synthetic biology
Risk assessment and decision-making process for GMOs and emerging technologies.
Biosafety frameworks and
What are GMOs and how are they made?
How are GMOs governed?
What are the procedures for registration, testing and monitoring of GMOs in the market?
What are gene drives, gene editing and synthetic biology?
The ethics of science reporting?
Where to get reliable information

Eligibility

The Forum is open to all interested journalists, science communicators, scientists affiliated bodies and partners, but will be particularly useful for those in communications-related roles – managing social media and websites, writing blogs and press releases, producing multimedia content, working with press, and doing other similar work.

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