Almost 430 million people in Africa face extreme poverty. This is nearly a third of Africa’s population. The World Bank reported that the majority of these people rely on agriculture, making the link between poverty and agriculture inextricable. Although agriculture can be a prosperous sector, African farmers often lack the resources and genetic innovations that have afforded farmers around the world such a surge in their production.

This is exemplified by sub-Saharan Africa’s fertilizer use being seven times lower than the global average. Another challenge farmers face is the increasing frequency of drought. Drought inhibits agricultural production and exacerbates food insecurity, displacement and poverty. However, genetic innovation provides a solution to these problems.

Providing African farmers with livestock and crops that are genetically optimized to thrive in these conditions has been incredibly effective. These are some of the genetic innovations lifting African farmers out of poverty.

Drought-Resistant Rice in Guinea

Although rice is farmed within Guinea, the country still imports around $230 million worth of the commodity each year. The low output of rice in Guinea can be partly attributed to harsh growing conditions in the region. The rice species that have adapted to these conditions are naturally low-yielding.

A genetically superior type of rice called New Rice for Africa (NERICA) has been created to help Africa overcome this problem. By breeding high-yielding Asian rice variants with the lower-yielding but adaptive African variant, NERICA was born as the first rice variant to produce a high yield in Africa’s climate. Even in the absence of fertilizer, these variants generate 50% more yield than other rice varieties.

Not only is NERICA higher-yielding, but it also contains more protein than other varieties in Guinea, which supports the nutritional needs of a country where malnutrition is rife. At least 20,000 farmers in Guinea have benefited from NERICA rice since its adoption in the country.

Resilient Sheep and Goats in Kenya

Livestock are a life-changing asset for farmers in Kenya. For small-scale farmers, the death of just one animal can put their livelihoods at risk. Heat stress, disease and parasites are some of the main threats to livestock. Through selective cross-breeding, sheep and goats that can withstand higher temperatures and are more resistant to disease and parasites have been produced.

In Kenya, genetically advantageous Galla goats and Red Maasai sheep have been added to existing herds. Not only are these breeds more resilient, but they also increase household income by supplying more milk and selling for a higher price than their equivalent local breeds. These genetically advantageous breeds have reduced food insecurity by around 90% in Kenya.

High-Yielding Beans in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s lowest-income countries. Four million farmers in Ethiopia rely on beans as a source of both food and income. However, limited access to expensive farming resources combined with frequent droughts limits the yield of smaller-scale farmers. Beans are a staple in the region and enhancing their yield can increase food security and provide a route out of poverty for small-scale farmers.

Therefore, genetically superior beans that grow faster and withstand drought have been produced through selective breeding. These varieties have more than tripled the average bean yield per hectare in Ethiopia. Since their rollout, the adoption of these beans has increased the household income for 2.5 million families in Ethiopia.

A Sustainable Route Out of Poverty

Genetic innovations like these are life-changing for small-scale farmers in Africa. Since crops and livestock produce offspring with similarly advantageous genes, the initiatives have a sustained impact and provide a long-term solution to Africa’s poverty crisis. Greater investment into agricultural research and wider-scale implementation of these innovations will be crucial for ending poverty in Africa.

– Catrin Jones

Catrin is based in Cardiff, Wales and focuses on Technology and Solutions and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr