Science and opinion in decision making: A case study of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka
Abstract Making decisions related to security, whether at the community, national, or regional level, is a highly intricate task. This requires a multi‐criteria decision‐making approach that incorporates inputs from various perspectives, including those of science, culture, economics, sustainability...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley-VCH
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Modern Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/moda.18 |
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| author | Akila Wijerathna‐Yapa Robert J. Henry Matt Dunn Christine A. Beveridge |
| author_facet | Akila Wijerathna‐Yapa Robert J. Henry Matt Dunn Christine A. Beveridge |
| author_sort | Akila Wijerathna‐Yapa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Making decisions related to security, whether at the community, national, or regional level, is a highly intricate task. This requires a multi‐criteria decision‐making approach that incorporates inputs from various perspectives, including those of science, culture, economics, sustainability, and climate change. In order to make successful decisions, it is imperative to compare alternatives and rank the consequences and relative impacts associated with each option. Such comparisons and rankings require a careful balance of evidence‐based scientific data and diverse opinions. The recent scenario of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka provides a poignant reminder of the importance of this decision‐making process and the consequences of unacknowledged or unidentified misinformation. Sri Lanka responded to an unexplained health condition and a desire to enter a new sales market by swiftly transitioning to organic farming. However, this abrupt change led to the rapid collapse of Sri Lanka's food supply, a significant decline in GDP, and hardships for both rural and urban communities. While the government eventually reversed its policy, Sri Lanka faced challenges in recovery. It is evident that disinformation and misinformation played a role in this unfortunate situation. This paper offers an in‐depth exploration of the events, underlining the necessity to distinguish between disinformation and misinformation in policy development. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8baf9a62f1f944f3883c98cbd02d727f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2751-4102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley-VCH |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Modern Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj-art-8baf9a62f1f944f3883c98cbd02d727f2025-01-31T16:15:29ZengWiley-VCHModern Agriculture2751-41022023-09-011214215110.1002/moda.18Science and opinion in decision making: A case study of the food security collapse in Sri LankaAkila Wijerathna‐Yapa0Robert J. Henry1Matt Dunn2Christine A. Beveridge3School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature and Agriculture St Lucia Queensland AustraliaQueensland Law Society, Policy, Public Affairs, and Governance Brisbane Queensland AustraliaSchool of Agriculture and Food Sustainability The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland AustraliaAbstract Making decisions related to security, whether at the community, national, or regional level, is a highly intricate task. This requires a multi‐criteria decision‐making approach that incorporates inputs from various perspectives, including those of science, culture, economics, sustainability, and climate change. In order to make successful decisions, it is imperative to compare alternatives and rank the consequences and relative impacts associated with each option. Such comparisons and rankings require a careful balance of evidence‐based scientific data and diverse opinions. The recent scenario of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka provides a poignant reminder of the importance of this decision‐making process and the consequences of unacknowledged or unidentified misinformation. Sri Lanka responded to an unexplained health condition and a desire to enter a new sales market by swiftly transitioning to organic farming. However, this abrupt change led to the rapid collapse of Sri Lanka's food supply, a significant decline in GDP, and hardships for both rural and urban communities. While the government eventually reversed its policy, Sri Lanka faced challenges in recovery. It is evident that disinformation and misinformation played a role in this unfortunate situation. This paper offers an in‐depth exploration of the events, underlining the necessity to distinguish between disinformation and misinformation in policy development.https://doi.org/10.1002/moda.18associated riskdisinformationmisinformationmulti‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM)uncertainty |
| spellingShingle | Akila Wijerathna‐Yapa Robert J. Henry Matt Dunn Christine A. Beveridge Science and opinion in decision making: A case study of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka Modern Agriculture associated risk disinformation misinformation multi‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM) uncertainty |
| title | Science and opinion in decision making: A case study of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka |
| title_full | Science and opinion in decision making: A case study of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka |
| title_fullStr | Science and opinion in decision making: A case study of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka |
| title_full_unstemmed | Science and opinion in decision making: A case study of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka |
| title_short | Science and opinion in decision making: A case study of the food security collapse in Sri Lanka |
| title_sort | science and opinion in decision making a case study of the food security collapse in sri lanka |
| topic | associated risk disinformation misinformation multi‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM) uncertainty |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/moda.18 |
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