The Biotechnological Promises and Bottlenecks for a Sustainable and Intensified Agriculture in Africa.

On a continent that has to cope with high rates of poverty, disease, and malnutrition, the agricultural and farming practices have evolved only slightly for centuries. Of all the recently developed technologies, biotechnology represents an innovation toolbox that could significantly improve the livelihood of sub-Saharan populations. Its impact could be far beyond that reached in the industrialized world, in which agricultural biotechnology has become a multibillion industry. In sub-Saharan Africa, the absence of this foundation acts as a brake on the elaboration of a sustainable biotechnology-based industry. A critical element should be the development of a regionally innovative community in the field of agricultural biotechnology which focuses on crops relevant for Africa, agricultural practices, and economic needs, but which is also sensitive to public concerns about the use of genetic modifications.Paper presented at the meeting of the Section of Technical Sciences held on 29 March 2018. Text received on 23 August 2018 and submitted to peer review. Final version, approved by the reviewers, received on 29 April 2019