We need more research to help these farmers increase production per unit of land without damaging the environment. We need more drought tolerance in crops grown in these regions, such as cassava, maize, sorghum, and millet, and we need varieties that are more high-yielding and resistant to pests and diseases. Some say that biotechnology is not likely to assist in the process of improving these crops. Biotechnology cannot deal with complex traits and multiple gene transfers needed in African crops. All the hype surrounding biotechnology, with the implication that traditional plant breeding should be swept aside, needs to be deflated.
Biotechnology has a role, but a minor one.
Agricultural researchers agree that biotechnology is not yet capable of dealing with complex traits. It has thus far not been demonstrated that genetic engineering can confer resistances to these complex biological traits. But we can certainly expect that in the next 5 or 10 years, genetic engineering will help to arm plants against some of these problems. Biotechnology helps to identify new genes, through gene mapping, which makes it easier for plant breeders to select for the right gene combinations. In the case of insects such as aphids, white flies, and caterpillars, biotechnology will also likely be the primary method of control, replacing chemicals and pesticides, according to Beachy.