AU to adopt AATF as an advisory lead on biotech-Mr Sarpong

The African Union (AU) has been urged to adopt the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) as its technical and advisory lead to propagate the issues of biotechnology.

Mr. George Sarpong, Executive Trustee at AATF made these remarks at the African Conference Agricultural Technologies (ACAT) in Nairobi on Wednesday.

He said the mission of AATF was to help farmers in need of agriculture support in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to find the tools and resources to compete in today’s modern agriculture markets adding that AATF promotes new technology, establishes partnerships between institutions and farmers.

Mr Sarpong said “when it comes to biotechnology AATF has so much expertise in that regard and I believe that if AU adopts it, it can help to manage the imminent climate change and its devastating effect.”

Speaking on the mission of his outfit he said the Foundation established in 2003 was basically created to address Africa’s food security prospects through agricultural technology as well as serve as a response to the need for an effective mechanism that would facilitate and support negotiation for technology access and delivery.

“AATF believes that the agricultural sector is a key foundational pillar as Africa consolidates its economic growth and carves out its new position as a major global economic powerhouse and the next growth market in the world’’ he stated.

He indicated that the negative impact of climate change like drought and pest infestation had threatened the food security of Africa coupled with increase of population.

Mr. Sarpong said the earlier Africa took biotechnology as a catalyst to help manage food insecurity in the country the better urging policy makers preparing to represent their countries at the up-and-coming COP 28 to propose biotechnology as a measure to manage climate change because the technology was environmentally friendly and would help attain the SDGs.

Dr. Leena Tripathi, Director, Eastern Africa Hub Biotechnology Program Leader, IITA said Africa needed all technologies together to address food scarcity.

She said apart from the lack of rain and poor irrigation, there was also the serious issue about the invasion of millions of acres of farmlands by pests.

This she argued called for the introduction of scientific techniques in food production to help address the challenge.

BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY