Leap-frogging in African Agriculture: The Case of Genetically Modified Crops

African policymakers are starting to focus on agricultural innovation as a way to sustain this growth and help spread prosperity. On average, agriculture accounts for 30-40 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s overall GDP and employs 64 percent of the workforce (Juma 2011). The examples of leap-frogging through mobile technology provide African countries with inspirational models for leveraging agricultural biotechnology. This article states adopting biotechnology in African agriculture can be done if biotechnology champions are encouraged, agricultural innovation is promoted, and there are offices of science and technology to serve advisors to presidents or prime ministers instituted in every country.