Africa’s rising food import bill, now estimated at around $70 billion annually, signals an urgent need to invest in agriculture biotechnology and climate-smart food systems according to scientists. Africa’s net food imports are estimated at $111 billion by 2025. The New Times’ Michel Nkurunziza caught up with Rwandan biologist Canisius Kanangire, the Executive Director of African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), during the 2025 Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) Africa Media Awards (OMAs) in Nairobi, Kenya, and he shed light on Africa’s agriculture biotechnology future, Rwanda’s upcoming biotech banana variety, among other projects for African countries. Agricultural biotechnology is defined as the use of tissue culture and genetic engineering techniques to produce genetically modified plants known as GM crops that exhibit new or improved desirable characteristics. The excerpts: How would you describe the current state of agricultural biotechnology adoption in Africa? The journey has been challenging but rewarding because we are making progress. Introducing biotech products requires navigating complex regulatory frameworks, biosafety rules, and capacity building. This process is lengthy and requires trust and political will. Currently, BT cotton has been adopted in nine African countries. In terms of food crops, South Africa leads with GM maize and soybean. Nigeria has commercialized drought-tolerant and insect-resistant maize, as well as BT cowpea. Ghana has started commercializing BT cowpea. Other products are in the pipeline: Ethiopia is almost ready with TELA maize; Mozambique is progressing; Burkina Faso is close to releasing BT cowpea; Kenya made significant progress before court cases temporarily halted commercial release of TELA maize. Once these cases are resolved, commercialization can proceed. Some countries that hesitate with food crops are already producing BT cotton such as Burkina Faso and Kenya. Others, like Rwanda, are advancing quickly with trials on cassava, potato, and TELA maize. Why is biotechnology essential for Africa’s food security future? When you look at global agriculture, you notice that it is only in Africa where agriculture has largely remained traditional, without significant technological advancements. This applies not only to high-tech innovations such as AI-guided irrigation, harvesting, or fertilizing, but even to basic mechanization. In much of Africa, farming is still done by hand, using very traditional and rudimentary tools such as the hoe and the machete. The idea behind AATF was to bring to Africa technologies that have proven highly effective elsewhere in transforming agriculture into a productive, income-generating, and rewarding activity. These technologies range from mechanization to scientific innovations. Agriculture is applied biology. So, the question is: how much biological innovation are we bringing into agriculture? Today, we have advanced knowledge about cells, genes, and DNA. How do we integrate this knowledge into agriculture?All these innovations are necessary to improve African agriculture. How are the innovations being implemented? First, we identify the challenges faced by African farmers. For example, many farmers use seeds that are not adapted to drought and climate change is severely affecting the continent. So how do we protect them from the harmful effects of drought? Second, farmers face numerous pests and diseases. For example, the fall armyworm has devastated maize plantations. How do we protect farmers against such invasive pests? We identify such issues—there are many, including weeds and water scarcity. Solutions already exist globally. Scientists in major organizations such as CGIAR and in global private research institutions have developed these innovations. Once we obtain an innovation, we must adapt it to the African context. This requires working with national agricultural research organizations to integrate the new traits into local crop varieties. For example, if a country grows a particular type of potato, we ensure the protective trait is introduced into that same potato variety so it can resist drought or pests. We work with national systems in Rwanda, Kenya), Uganda, and others. Some universities also collaborate. Once the improved product has been adapted and approved at the country level, we move to the next stage: working with the private sector. We collaborate with seed producers so that quality seeds of the improved varieties reach farmers. Since seed systems in many African countries are underdeveloped, we support both seed producers and private distributors to ensure smooth delivery of seeds. Another challenge is that new technologies require training. Many farmers do not know how to use them, and agricultural practices have not advanced much. So, we have a stewardship team that establishes country-level committees to guide farmers on how to plant, irrigate, harvest, and manage hybrid seed production, among other practices. Thus, our work spans the entire value chain from identifying problems to finding solutions, negotiating access, customizing technologies, working with seed systems, and finally guiding farmers. In some countries, we have even supported the establishment of agro-processing plants, which add value to produce and reduce post-harvest losses still as high as 40% in parts of Africa. What progress have African countries made in enabling regulatory environments for biotech crops, and which countries are leading the way? Where do you still see regulatory or political bottlenecks? AATF is a technology-transfer organization with a strong and unique focus on biotech projects. It is the only organization dedicated to transferring biotech products such as GM maize, GM cowpea, GM cassava, GM potato, and others to African farmers. Across Africa, 12 countries have now approved biosafety laws. This is encouraging. However, not all have begun adopting the products. For example, in September this year, Eswatini requested that we also include them in the TELA maize trials programme. So, we believe that there will be more and more countries coming in. Nigeria, Mozambique, and Kenya despite court challenges are progressing. Others are moving slowly, and some halted midway. We give them time to continue their processes. As a Rwandan scientist, how do you see Rwanda positioning itself in agricultural biotechnology research and adoption? Rwanda is relatively new to biosafety regulation, but once the biosafety law was adopted, the country moved quickly. Within a year, applications were submitted and approvals granted for environmental release of improved maize, cassava, and potato, an exceptionally fast timeline. Rwanda was so efficient because of strong political and institutional will. Rwanda is committed to providing improved varieties to its farmers. Use of data transportability. Rwanda trusted data generated in neighbouring countries with similar conditions, avoiding unnecessary duplication. This approach can serve as a model for other countries. Are there any AATF projects or collaborations planned for Rwanda in the near future? Rwanda is advancing rapidly and could become a leading example. In Rwanda, we currently have: OFAB since late 2021, which is performing very well. The Rwanda Agricultural Biotech Programme is working on cassava, potato, and maize. I expect Rwanda to soon adopt GM bananas as well. A recent scoping workshop in September examined needs for improved bananas. Partners in Australia and IITA [International Institute of Tropical Agriculture] are ready to bring this technology if Rwanda is interested. Rwanda is becoming a fast-moving country and may soon lead in bringing modern agricultural technologies to farmers. We expect that by 2029, Rwanda could have TELA maize, improved cassava, and other products in farmers' hands. How are you working to ensure that biotech innovations remain accessible and affordable to African farmers? We negotiate access to these technologies and work to deliver them to African smallholder farmers without royalties, to keep them affordable. What lessons from Rwanda’s agricultural transformation can be shared with the rest of the continent? Actually, cassava was already being introduced to Rwanda because we had already had some trials being conducted by Rwanda Agricultural Board. So, the biosafety law was accepted and then immediately we started this project. And in less than a year we submitted and got the approval of the environmental release of those three products. That is a very special event. It is on record time. And why did we get that record time in Rwanda for that kind of release which normally takes years in other countries? Rwanda, first of all, I would say, has the will. They want to have that product. They want to have improved varieties for their farmers. There is the country's will, there is the political will, there is the policy makers' will. So, we have that as a very conducive environment. The second thing that we have is that Rwanda chose not to reinvent the wheel but use the data which are produced by neighbour countries in the same conditions. So, they did what we call data transportability. And that is very encouraging. I think it will be one of those cases which we will be using to also encourage other countries to shorten the time that we spend in regulatory processes. How is AATF working with African universities to build the next generation of biotech scientists? In Rwanda, we are not yet working directly with universities, but in countries like Nigeria we collaborate with universities such as Ahmadu Bello University, which hosts the Institute for Agricultural Research for BT cowpea. In most countries, we primarily work with national agricultural research organizations, but university partnerships are valuable because universities train the next generation of scientists who will understand and apply these technologies. Public scepticism still surrounds GM crops in parts of Africa. How are you addressing biosafety concerns and misinformation? As a scientist and biologist, I see no harm in biotech products provided they undergo complete safety evaluations conducted by qualified experts. Many criticisms come from misinformation or lack of understanding. Some people are simply confused by conflicting information; this can be solved through proper communication and education. Others oppose GMOs due to beliefs or because they are financed to do so something ethically troubling. These issues must be addressed through accurate information, public engagement, and dialogue so Africans can trust their scientists and the innovations that can benefit them. No country has developed without adopting new technologies. Africa cannot develop without embracing innovation. What role do you believe journalists play in shaping public understanding and acceptance of agricultural biotechnology? This year’s theme, evidence-based storytelling, is highly relevant. Scientific publications are often complex and not easily understood by policymakers, farmers, or the public. Journalists can simplify and translate scientific findings into accessible language, bridging the gap between scientists and society. This helps policymakers, political leaders, farmers, and the private sector understand that these innovations are beneficial. If scientists and journalists work together, the impact on African agriculture could be transformative.
