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May 6, 2025
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Biotechnology Development in Africa

In Africa, smallholder agriculture is the most common type of farming, and its growth is closely linked to reducing poverty and promoting agricultural development. It is estimated that around 41 million smallholders provide most of the food for both rural and urban residents in Africa. Some challenges African farmers face in food crop production includes low yield, poor soil quality, water scarcity, limited market access, post-harvest losses, and susceptibility to climate change. The chronic underinvestment in agriculture further exacerbates these problems.

According to reports, many African governments, 48 out of 54, allocate an average of only 3.8 percent of their budgets to agriculture, with some governments spending as little as one percent (AGRA, 2022)1. Given that agriculture accounts for a significant portion of Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is a major contributor to the continent’s economy, there is a need to discuss innovations that can advance the continent’s Agricultural sector.  Africa is considered to have the greatest potential for reaping benefits from biotech crop adoption due to the prevalent issues of poverty and malnutrition in the region. As of 2019, Africa had cultivated nearly 3 million hectares of biotech crops out of the 190 million hectares grown worldwide targeted at biofortification, drought tolerance, disease resistance, pest resistance, virus resistance, or herbicide tolerance.

However, biotechnology development in Africa has been a slow and gradual process.  South Africa was the first country to adopt biotech crops on the continent. They planted insect-resistant cotton, its first biotech crop, in 1998. Insect-resistant maize followed, and in 2001, the cultivation of herbicide-tolerant soybeans was approved. They also adopted herbicide-tolerant maize in 2003 (ISAAA, 2017)2. In 2008, Burkina Faso and Egypt commercialized biotech cotton and maize, respectively. However, both countries stopped planting them after a few years. In 2012, Sudan commercialized biotech cotton.

In 2018, Eswatini and Nigeria followed suit by commercializing biotech cotton, while Malawi and Ethiopia did the same in 2019. Additionally, in 2019, Nigeria became the first country to commercialize pod-borer-resistant cowpea. Ghana hopes to commercialize this cowpea in 2024 after it meets all regulatory requirements. This means that eight African countries have currently approved or commercialized four genetically modified crops, namely cotton, soybean, maize, and cowpea.

The countries are Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Eswatini. Currently, ten other African countries are conducting trials on thirty-three other genetically modified crops. Experts predict that the market for genetically modified crops in Africa, which was initially valued at $615.4 million in 2018, will grow by 5% by 2025, reaching an estimated $871 million. This shows the huge transformational potential that biotechnology will bring to the agricultural sector in Africa. According to MarketsandMarkets global market for plant biotechnology is estimated to be valued at USD 51.73 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 76.79 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period. The plant biotechnology market has emerged as a critical sector within the broader agricultural and life sciences industries, driven by the increasing global demand for sustainable food production, climate-resilient crops, and innovative biopharmaceutical solutions.

Plant biotechnology involves the use of genetic engineering, molecular markers, and tissue culture techniques to enhance crop traits, improve yield, and develop novel plant-based products. The market has witnessed significant growth over the past decade, fueled by advancements in CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, rising investments in agricultural biotechnology, and the pressing need to address food security challenges posed by a growing global population.

Market disruptions in the plant biotechnology industry are driven by rise in seed replacement rate, High adoption of biotech crops, Growing demand for high-value crops, Use of plant growth regulators to combat climatic changes. Innovations in biotechnology hold significant potential to boost agricultural productivity and quality, ultimately enhancing farmers’ incomes globally. Moreover, plant biotechnology addresses environmental concerns by reducing reliance on chemical pesticides. Biofertilizers hold the useful microbes that stimulate plant growth in the way of enhanced nutrient supply. These microbial components start the growth of plants and provide yields, thereby making biofertilizers a viable, eco-friendly substitute for chemical fertilizers.

Farmers are increasingly adopting biofertilizers, particularly in soil-less culture systems such as hydroponics and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems such as vertical farm and greenhouses. Nanotechnology is revolutionizing biofertilizers using nanoparticles to enhance the efficiency of nutrient delivery and nutrient uptake in plants. The technology enhances the availability of nutrients, avoids nutrient leaching, and promotes sustainable nutrient management. Compared to synthetic fertilizers that render soils sterile after a few years, biofertilizers improve soil fertility through atmospheric nitrogen fixation and solubilization of sparingly soluble phosphate in soils. They help the plant defend itself against abiotic stress.

The biofertilizer market has shifted towards a scientific focus, and accordingly, research and development expenditures have increased. The key developments are the use of non-legume crops, biopolymers, use of mycorrhiza, and microbiome research. Danish researchers in 2022 created Bluubalance, a liquid biofertilizer that increases yield by 20% and reduces carbon waste by 98%. Biofertilizers are becoming an important part of sustainable agriculture, maintaining plant health with minimal harm to the environment.

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