Africa has taken a significant step toward improving access to reliable biotechnology and biosafety information with the launch of a continent-wide digital portal aimed at making regulatory data easier to access, interpret and use.
The platform, known as the Biotech Africa Database, provides country-specific details on biotech crop approval decisions, as well as summaries of key regulatory requirements for the import, export and transit of biotech products. It also offers a simplified overview of application processes for cross-border movement of biotech goods.
Developed by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA AfriCenter) and its partners, the portal is designed to support informed decision-making, enhance regulatory transparency, promote regional learning and encourage the responsible use of agricultural biotechnology across Africa.
For years, biotechnology and biosafety information across African countries has been fragmented across regulatory agency websites, official gazettes and scattered policy documents. This has made access difficult, often leading to delays, compliance challenges and uncertainty for traders, regulators and value-chain actors operating across borders. The new platform addresses this gap by bringing verified, up-to-date regulatory information into a single accessible hub.
The platform is expected to be especially useful for traders, regulators, researchers and other stakeholders who require fast and reliable access to approval decisions and biosafety guidelines.
At the launch, ISAAA AfriCenter Director Dr. Margaret Karembu described the initiative as a major milestone in using digital tools to strengthen regulatory decision-making in Africa.
“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,” she said.
Nigeria is among 73 countries currently cultivating or trading in biotech crops. The country has commercial approval for three biotech crops: bollworm-resistant cotton, pod-borer-resistant cowpea, and insect-resistant, drought-tolerant maize. It also permits the importation of genetically modified wheat and soybean strictly for food, feed and processing.
Globally, more than 20 biotech crops are cultivated across 31 countries, with total planted area reaching 218.71 million hectares. An additional 29 countries import biotech products for food, feed and processing.
In Africa, six biotech crops have been approved for cultivation across 10 countries, South Africa, Sudan, Malawi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Eswatini, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Rwanda. These include cassava, cotton, cowpea, maize, potato and soybean.
Biotech crops have been developed with traits such as pest and disease resistance, drought tolerance, improved nutrition, higher productivity and herbicide tolerance. Across the continent, about 3.98 million hectares are currently under biotech cultivation, representing roughly 2% of global biotech crop area.
Supporters of biotechnology say it has contributed to improved yields and reduced dependence on chemical inputs, helping more than 17 million smallholder farmers in developing countries strengthen their livelihoods and build more resilient farming systems.
