The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) AfriCenter has launched a continental digital platform aimed at improving access to credible biotechnology and biosafety information across Africa.
The newly unveiled platform, known as the Biotech Africa Database, is designed to provide country-specific information on biotechnology crop approval decisions and key regulatory requirements governing the import, export and transit of biotech products.
According to ISAAA AfriCenter, the portal will serve as a one-stop repository for accurate and up-to-date information on biosafety regulations, approval decisions and regulatory processes across the continent.
The platform, developed in collaboration with various partners, is expected to enhance informed decision-making, promote regulatory transparency, facilitate regional learning and support the responsible deployment of agricultural biotechnology in Africa.
For years, biotechnology and biosafety information relating to Africa has remained fragmented across multiple agency websites, gazette notices and regulatory documents, making it difficult for users to access and interpret. This situation has often resulted in delays, compliance risks and uncertainty for traders, regulators and other value-chain actors operating across borders.
The Biotech Africa Database seeks to address these challenges by consolidating relevant information in a single, easily accessible digital platform.
Speaking during the launch, Director of ISAAA AfriCenter, Dr. Margaret Karembu, described the initiative as a significant milestone in leveraging digital data for regulatory decision-making on the continent.
“Today, we have opened a door where data replaces rumours, where a farmer in Kampala sees the same biotech information as a researcher in Kaduna, a trader in Johannesburg and a policymaker in Addis Ababa,” Dr. Karembu said.
She noted that the platform would be particularly beneficial to traders, regulators, researchers and other stakeholders who require quick and reliable access to regulatory approval decisions and biosafety information.
Nigeria is among the 73 countries currently cultivating or trading in biotech crops. The country has commercially approved three biotech crops: bollworm-resistant cotton, pod-borer-resistant cowpea, and insect-resistant, abiotic stress-tolerant maize. Nigeria also permits the importation of genetically modified wheat and soybean strictly for food, feed and processing purposes.
Globally, more than 20 biotech crops are cultivated in 31 countries, with the total area planted to genetically modified crops reaching 218.71 million hectares. An additional 29 countries import biotech products or crops for food, feed and processing.
In Africa, six biotech crops—cassava, cotton, cowpea, maize, potato and soybean—have been approved for cultivation in 10 countries, namely South Africa, Sudan, Malawi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Eswatini, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Rwanda.
Biotech crops have been developed with traits such as drought tolerance, pest and disease resistance, enhanced nutrition, increased productivity and herbicide tolerance. Africa currently cultivates approximately 3.98 million hectares of biotech crops, representing nearly two per cent of the global biotech crop area.
Experts say agricultural biotechnology has played an important role in improving livelihoods in developing countries, benefiting more than 17 million smallholder farmers through increased yields and reduced reliance on costly chemical inputs. These gains, they note, have contributed to more stable and resilient farming communities.
