African Agricultural Experts Advocate for Increased Investment in Biotechnology

Nairobi — Agricultural experts across Africa are calling for an increased focus on biotechnology as a means to enhance economic empowerment, food security, and health on the continent.

According to Kenya News Agency, Manager at the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), there is a critical need for awareness creation about the role of agricultural biotechnology. During the third day of the African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT) 2023, themed ‘Mainstreaming Biotechnology in African Agriculture’, Chinoko emphasized the significance of national investment in biotechnology for developing biotech crops within Africa.

Prof. Richard Oduor, a Molecular Biologist and Registrar of Research at Kenyatta University, expressed that mainstreaming biotechnology will require at least 1 percent of GDP investment in research by national governments. Additionally, capacity building in innovative fields such as gene editing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, precision agriculture, and remote sensing is crucial. Prof. Oduor, who also serves as the chair of the Kenya University Biotechnology Consortium (KUBICO), stressed the necessity of establishing modern infrastructure to support cutting-edge research, governmental goodwill, and the integration of data and digital technologies throughout the agricultural value chain.

From Nigeria, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the Director-General and CEO of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), stated that governments should foster an environment conducive to biotech advancement and appeal to private sector interests.

Dr. Titus Alicai, Director of Research and Postgraduate Studies at the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) in Uganda, highlighted the importance of creating infrastructures to retain trained scientists within the continent, preventing their migration for better opportunities elsewhere.

Patience Koku, CEO of Replenish Farms in Nigeria, recommended utilizing established channels like seed companies to deliver biotechnology advancements to smallholder farmers, who are critical to the agricultural sector.

The week-long ACAT conference, under the theme ‘Agricultural Resilience through Innovations,’ was officially opened by Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi on behalf of President William Ruto. In his speech, President Ruto identified innovation and the adoption of new technologies as pivotal for Africa’s resilience and global competitiveness.