Scientific Innovation for a Sustainable Development of African Agriculture

On August 30-31, 2018, a two-day symposium took place in Ghent (Belgium) with the aim of deliberating on scientific innovation for the development of a sustainable agriculture in Africa. This symposium was attended by African and European scientists, representing both the public and private sectors. Topics included relevant crops for Africa, soil quality, biotic and abiotic stresses, and human and animal health; and were all handled in light of a critical assessment of how research and scientific innovation could tackle the challenges encountered in crop production. Currently, the African continent is unable to meet the exponentially increasing demand for food and feed that is the consequence of a fast-growing population (from 1.2 billion in 2019 to 2.4 billion by 2050), a rising middle class and a mainly urban population eager to consume more protein-rich food. The green revolution starting in the 1950s has allowed the intensification of food production in many regions. In this way, a level of food security was ensured on our planet that had never been reached previously, although not without being criticized because of its significant environmental footprint. However, Africa has not reaped the benefits of this revolution, leaving its agriculture with minimalyielding crops, poor soils, and a low level of mechanization. Development of a sustainable agriculture that could provide high-quality food for the population is often attempted with two different mindsets. These approaches, as presented by Charles Mann in his book "The wizard and the prophet" ( Norman Borlaug (1914Borlaug ( -2009) ) is known as the father of the green revolution, whose work allowed a substantial increase in agricultural production while William Vogt (1902Vogt ( -1968) is remembered as a pioneer in environmentalism. Brought to the extreme, in the first technological approach, the scientist tries to overcome the Earth's limits by generating high-performing crops for more yield, whereas the other approach will focus on the idea that humans need to accept nature's limits. As is often the case, solutions might have to be found somewhere in the middle, if sustainable agricultural development is to sit alongside an increase in

Agricultural economics · Agriculture · Business · Developing country · Economic growth · Economics · Food processing · Food security · Geography · Green Revolution · Natural resource economics · Political science · Population · Population growth · Sociology · Sustainable agriculture · Sustainable development · World population · Agriculture and Rural Development Research