Scientific Innovation for the Sustainable Development of African Agriculture

Authors

  • Silvia Travella
  • Dulce de Oliveira
  • Sylvie de Buck
  • Fernand Lambein
  • Delphin Diasolua Ngudi
  • Vanessa De Bauw
  • Godelieve Gheysen
  • Marc Van Montagu
  • Marc Heijde

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v32i2.15771

Abstract

The African continent has considerable potential to reap the benefits associated with modern agricultural biotechnology. Plant biotechnology and breeding represent an invaluable toolbox to face the challenges of African agriculture, such as food and nutrition security, environment protection, soil fertility, and crop adaptation to new climatic conditions. As Africa has only relatively recently adopted agricultural biotechnology, it has the opportunity to harness the immense knowledge gathered over the last two decades while avoiding some of the difficulties experienced by early adopters. High-level research and education systems together with a specific regulatory framework are critical elements in the development of sustainable biotechnology-based agriculture and industry. The more actors that are involved in Research & Development applied to nutritionally and important local crops, the faster Africa will generate its future African innovators. Here, we discuss the contribution of plant biotechnology to a transformative African agriculture that combines intensification of land productivity and environmental sustainability. KEY WORDS: PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY, AFRICA, YIELD POTENTIAL, NUTRITION SECURITY, ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION

Author Biographies

Silvia Travella

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, BelgiumDepartment of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Belgium

Dulce de Oliveira

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, BelgiumDepartment of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Belgium

Sylvie de Buck

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, BelgiumDepartment of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Belgium

Fernand Lambein

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, BelgiumDepartment of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Belgium

Delphin Diasolua Ngudi

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, BelgiumDepartment of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Belgium

Vanessa De Bauw

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, BelgiumDepartment of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Belgium

Godelieve Gheysen

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, BelgiumDepartment of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium  

Marc Van Montagu

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, BelgiumDepartment of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Belgium

Marc Heijde

International Plant Biotechnology Outreach, VIB, Belgium Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Belgium

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Published

2019-12-18

How to Cite

Travella, S., de Oliveira, D., de Buck, S., Lambein, F., Ngudi, D. D., De Bauw, V., Gheysen, G., Van Montagu, M., & Heijde, M. (2019). Scientific Innovation for the Sustainable Development of African Agriculture. frika ocus, 32(2). https://doi.org/10.21825/af.v32i2.15771