Food safety, food security and genetically modified organisms in Africa: a current perspective.
Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev
; 37(1): 30-63, 2021 Apr.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1324496
ABSTRACT
Moving forward from 2020, Africa faces an eminent challenge of food safety and security in the coming years. The World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations (UN) estimates that 20% of Africa's population of 1.2 billion people face the highest level of undernourishment in the world, likely to worsen due to COVID-19 pandemic that has brought the entire world to its knees. Factors such as insecurity and conflict, poverty, climate change and population growth have been identified as critical contributors to the food security challenges on the continent. Biotechnological research on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) provides a range of opportunities (such as increased crop yields, resistance to pests and diseases, enhanced nutrient composition and food quality) in addressing the hunger, malnutrition and food security issues on the continent. However, the acceptance and adoption of GMOs on the continent has been remarkably slow, perhaps due to contrasting views about the benefits and safety concerns associated with them. With the reality of food insecurity and the booming population in Africa, there is an eminent need for a more pragmatic position to this debate. The present review presents an overview of the current situation of food safety and security and attempts to reconcile major viewpoints on GMOs research considering the current food safety and security crisis in the African continent.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Organisms, Genetically Modified
/
Food Supply
/
Food Security
Type of study:
Observational study
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
English
Journal:
Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
02648725.2021.1940735
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