Across Africa, the warning signs of a deepening food crisis are becoming harder to ignore. The number of people facing food insecurity continues to climb, painting a sobering picture of the continent’s most urgent challenge.
In East and Central Africa alone, over 88 million people are food insecure, according to FAO. Kenya accounts for about a million of these, but the bulk come from conflict and drought-affected nations like Sudan, DR Congo, Somalia and South Sudan.
Further south, the crisis intensifies. More than 48 million people in Southern Africa are grappling with high levels of food insecurity. Multiple factors are at play, but climate change is a central driver. Unpredictable weather patterns, intense droughts, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall—further intensified by El Niño—are devastating crop production. In countries dependent on rain-fed agriculture, climate shocks have become a daily battle.
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Once-fertile fields are now dry and cracked. Harvests are declining at alarming rates. But for farmers, it’s not just about the climate anymore; Pests and diseases, which thrive in warmer and wetter conditions, are sweeping across regions. Fall armyworms, locusts and crop-killing diseases like maize lethal necrosis are lingering longer and hitting harder, pushing farmers to the brink.
The agricultural calendar, once guided by generations of indigenous wisdom, has been thrown into disarray. And the outlook is even more worrying. In Southern Africa, for instance, scientists warn that maize yields—a staple food for millions—could fall by up to 30 per cent by 2030 if climate-smart interventions are not adopted.
This crisis doesn’t only mean lost meals, but also livelihoods, with millions pushed further into poverty. Yet, amid the hardship lies an opportunity for transformation. One promising solution is biotechnology—a quiet but powerful force already making an impact in several African countries.
Genetically modified crops are helping farmers adapt to a changing climate and combat pests and diseases. Drought-tolerant maize, pest-resistant cowpea and cotton, water-efficient maize and disease-resistant cassava are among the innovations offering farmers a fighting chance.
Countries like Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Sudan, Eswatini, Ethiopia and Ghana are already cultivating GM varieties such as Bt cotton, Bt maize and pod borer-resistant cowpea. These crops have brought stability in uncertain times and shown how science can serve the real needs of smallholder farmers.
Of course, biotechnology is not a silver bullet; it is part of a larger ecosystem of climate-smart practices that include other groundbreaking technologies. Precision farming, driven by digital tools and data analytics, is helping farmers use water, fertiliser and chemicals more efficiently, cutting waste and reducing harmful emissions.
Improved livestock feeding, including high-quality forages and feed additives, alongside selective breeding for low-methane-emitting animals, is helping cut greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock sector.
In rice farming, alternative wetting and drying methods are reducing methane emissions, while techniques like biochar application and regenerative soil practices are restoring soil health and turning farms into carbon sinks. By combining traditional knowledge with modern innovation, Africa is uniquely positioned to build climate solutions that are effective and locally grounded.
Mr Chinoko is a Project Manager, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology and Climate Specialist at AATF
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By Vitumbiko Chinoko