March 8-12 : Entebbe, Uganda. This conference, organised under the theme ‘tapping agro-biotech potential for improved seed production and utilisation’, EXPERTS have urged African countries to embrace agro-biotechnology to address food insecurity on the continent.
Agro-biotechnology refers to tools, including traditional breeding techniques that alter living organisms to modify products, improve plants and animals as well as develop micro-organisms for specific agricultural uses.
The experts, who are involved in scientific research on the effectiveness of biotechnology, argue that with the world’s fast growing population, Africa has to address the current food crisis.
Prof. Dan Makinde, the director of African Biosafety Network of Experts at the African Union-New Economic Partnerships for African Development, said Africa has to act fast and embrace agro-biotechnology to avert the looming food crisis disaster. “The food crisis situation is worsening in Africa. As long as you do not have enough in terms of quality and quantity, you are doomed,” he said.
