‘Misinformation, Policy Gaps Stalling Agricultural Innovation In Africa’

The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) has identified low public awareness, widespread misinformation and restrictive regulatory frameworks as major factors slowing the adoption of agricultural innovations across Africa.

The senior manager for Programme Development and Commercialisation at AATF, Roy Mugiira, who spoke during a training of rrainers programme on stewardship for TELA maize in Kaduna, said Africa continues to face a disconnect between available agricultural technologies and farmers’ access to them.

He said the challenge is not the absence of innovation, but limited awareness among farmers about existing solutions to their production constraints.

“Many farmers are battling problems for which solutions already exist, but they simply do not know that such technologies are available,” Mugiira said.

He explained that misinformation and disinformation around biotechnology and genetically modified (GM) crops have further slowed the acceptance of modern agricultural technologies across the continent.

“There is a lot of deliberate misinformation spread by individuals and groups that are opposed to technology and globalisation. This has created fear among farmers and the public,” he said.

Mugiira also pointed to restrictive policy environments in parts of Africa, noting that such frameworks discourage investment in agricultural research and innovation.

He argued that instead of enabling progress, some regulatory systems inadvertently reinforce suspicion around modern biotechnology.

On genetic engineering, Mugiira maintained that Africa now possesses the scientific expertise and institutional capacity required to drive biotechnology-led agricultural transformation

He said African scientists are already at the forefront of research, citing Nigeria’s Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) as one of the key institutions advancing biotechnology work.

He added that countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda, and South Africa have made notable progress in establishing biosafety systems that support biotechnology adoption.

“There is no single technology that can solve all agricultural problems. Biotechnology is not a silver bullet, but it is an important addition to the farmer’s toolkit,” he said.

He explained that genetic engineering enables faster and more precise crop improvement compared to conventional breeding methods, which often take years to deliver results.

“Farmers have embraced improved cotton seeds despite higher costs because the benefits far outweigh the investment,” he said