Commercialization of genetically modified crops in Africa: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Genetically modified (GM) crops offer potential for enhancing agricultural productivity for smallholder farmers in Africa. After nearly three decades of research and development collaboration and regulatory capacity strengthening, several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are moving towards commercializing GM crops for the benefit of smallholder farmers. South Africa approved genetically modified (GM) cotton, maize and soybeans in the 1990s. Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Eswatini and Malawi recently approved general release of GM crops, including GM cotton, GM cowpea, GM maize, and GM cassava through public-private partnerships. Collected data from a diverse group of 30 stakeholders from 14 countries in Africa and results indicated that while progress has been made towards commercializing GM crops in several countries in Africa, some key challenges and downstream issues remain to be addressed. These include building functional regulatory systems, vibrant seed systems, local seed production, effective extension services, reliable credit/financial and marketing services, and improved access to markets for smallholder farmers. Unless these downstream issues are effectively addressed, smallholder farmers in Africa will not benefit from GM crops. questions (160 questions) raised by stakeholders that attended the short courses. The questions were recorded and categorized into representative themes: product development, regulation, technology transfer (including IP, licensing, scaling up, seed systems), communication and outreach, public acceptance and trade to understand stakeholders areas of concern. The information included in this paper is part of a needs assessment survey on biotechnology and biosafety development, level of awareness of advances in the biotech product commercialization and genome editing technologies in developing countries, as well as the challenges faced and capacity building needs for commercialization and adoption of GM crops