Africa is the only continent where hunger is projected to worsen over the next two decades. Ironically, agriculture is the backbone of the continent’s economy, contributing to over 32% of the region’s gross domestic product. For decades, farmers have worked tirelessly on their small farms hoping to feed and support their families. Sadly, their yields are often poor, subjecting them to perennial hunger and poverty.
These farmers are limited by constraints such as pests and diseases, decreasing soil fertility, dwindling natural resources and climate change, as well as unfavorable policies. Further to this, their challenges are worsened by the near lack of technological application in their farming practices.
Fortunately, with the right policies and interventions, they have the potential to increase food production, improve their lives and break free from the poverty cycle. This is the vision upon which ISAAA AfriCenter was built on. The Center envisions a food secure Africa free of hunger and poverty.
We believe that modern biotechnological tools can offer Africa’s small holder farmers the promise and potential to resolve some major agricultural constraints, enabling them to eventually break free from hunger, poverty and malnutrition. However, for agri-biotechnology to be adopted, African countries need to have the right policy environment and awareness that will lead to acceptance of the technology. Our mission is to share knowledge on agricultural biotechnology and biosafety through strategic communications and outreach for informed policy and choice.
Although ISAAA AfriCenter is committed to alleviating poverty and hunger in Africa through the use of modern biotechnological tools, the Center also respects the rights of others to make their own decisions and encourages that the decisions are based on credible and authoritative information.