Hunger and undernourishment have plagued Africa for years. In 2022, the African region accounted for the highest level of hunger as described by the Global Hunger Index. Low agricultural productivity and post-harvest losses have accounted for Africa’s hunger issues.
One solution to Africa’s low agricultural productivity and food insecurity, is to embrace genetic modification of crops.
Genetic (GM) modification is a technology that involves inserting DNA into the genome of an organism. To produce a genetically modified plant, new DNA is transferred into plant cells. The genetic makeup of an organism is its genome, which in all plants and animals is made of DNA. The genome contains genes, regions of DNA that usually carry instructions for making proteins. It is these proteins that give the plant its characteristics.
Scientists have shown that GM technology increases yield, develops disease-resistant crops, and creates varieties that can tolerate drought. The technology appears to often generate employment because more workers are needed to harvest the significantly higher yields. One study in India suggests that GM cotton produces 82 percent higher incomes for small-farm households compared with conventional cotton.
Genetic modification technology is controversial. In Africa, only Nigeria, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Malawi, Sudan, South Africa, and Kenya allow commercial production and importation of GM products. Other African countries oppose them, largely because of the European Union’s (EU) stance on GM products, limited scientific capacity, and the high cost of regulation.
To create resilient food systems on the African Continent, a wide range of existing and new agricultural technologies, including GM organisms, are required. One of the main ways to do this is to increase investment in agricultural biotechnology research and train local scientists to be involved in GM research.
“One solution to Africa’s low agricultural productivity and food insecurity, is to embrace genetic modification of crops.”
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