On trial: agricultural biotechnology in Africa
A new study published by Chatham House, 'On Trial: Agricultural biotechnology in Africa' looks at the issues that have prevented modern agricultural biotechnology from achieving its full impact in Africa in transforming people's lives. Agriculture is central to the livelihood of millions of people in Africa but African agriculture remains blighted by stagnation in crop yields, seemingly unable to benefit from the increases in agricultural productivity seen in Asia and South America. Increasing farm productivity could help close Africa's yield gap and increase farm incomes and food availability, thereby reducing hunger and poverty. Agricultural change is also needed to meet the challenge of climate change, which in the absence of adaptation could devastate Africa crop yields.