Africa’s agricultural biotechnology sector is expanding steadily, but limited access to reliable regulatory information continues to hinder investment, innovation and trade, prompting the launch of a regional platform aimed at improving transparency across the continent.
Nearly 4 million hectares of biotech crops are now cultivated across Africa, a 3.6% increase from the previous year. Six genetically modified (GM) crops; cotton, maize, soybean, cowpea, cassava and potato are grown in 10 African countries, while additional nations continue to approve biotechnology products.
Africa has also achieved two global milestones, becoming the first region to approve Bt cowpea in Nigeria and Ghana and the first to authorize genetically modified cassava in Kenya and Rwanda.
Globally, agricultural biotechnology now covers 218.7 million hectares across 44 countries, while another 29 nations have approved biotechnology products for food, feed and processing, underscoring the technology’s growing role in addressing food insecurity, climate change and declining agricultural productivity.
Despite the sector’s growth, stakeholders say obtaining accurate, up-to-date information on biotechnology approvals and regulatory requirements remains a major challenge across Africa.
Researchers, regulators, traders and technology developers often have to navigate multiple government websites, gazette notices and lengthy regulatory documents to determine whether products have been approved, what permits are required and which regulatory conditions apply.
The fragmented information landscape can create uncertainty, increase transaction costs and delay investment decisions, while limiting opportunities for regulatory cooperation and knowledge sharing among African countries.
For businesses seeking to import genetically modified commodities, delays in obtaining information on approval status, labelling requirements and import procedures can slow trade and increase compliance costs, industry stakeholders say.
Regional initiatives such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) biotechnology and biosafety framework have encouraged greater information sharing to improve regulatory efficiency, facilitate trade and reduce duplication in decision-making.
Against that backdrop, ISAAA AfriCenter launched Biotech Africa in June 2026, a regional information platform designed to improve access to credible agricultural biotechnology information across the continent.
The platform consolidates country-specific information on GM crop approvals, food, feed and processing import requirements, permit application procedures and links to official regulatory decisions and national competent authorities.
Developers say the platform does not make regulatory decisions but serves as a centralized source connecting users with official information in an accessible format.
They say improved access to reliable information can help investors reduce uncertainty, enable regulators to learn from peer experiences, assist researchers in navigating regulatory pathways and support the responsible deployment of biotechnology innovations.
The initiative was inspired in part by the work of Biotec-LATAM and Argentina’s ArgenBio, whose efforts to improve public access to biotechnology information demonstrated the value of transparent, science-based communication.
As Africa’s biotechnology sector continues to expand, stakeholders say ensuring access to credible information will be critical to supporting innovation, facilitating trade, strengthening regulatory cooperation and enabling informed decision-making across the continent.
They argue that farmers, regulators, traders and researchers should have equal access to reliable biotechnology information regardless of location, helping build confidence in regulatory systems and supporting the responsible adoption of agricultural biotechnology.
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