Calls for enhanced scientific collaboration, government/political goodwill and development of public-private partnerships in the biotechnology sector took center stage as biotech stakeholders gathered at this year's Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication (ABBC2021) symposium. Africa's biotechnology sector, the stakeholders opined, is poised to develop faster if all involved parties cooperated in their concerted efforts to address challenges that affect the sector.

The narrow genetics of most crops is a fundamental vulnerability to food security. This makes wild crop relatives a strategic resource of genetic diversity that can be used for crop improvement and adaptation to new agricultural challenges. Here, we uncover the contribution of one wild species accession, Arachis cardenasii GKP 10017, to the peanut crop (Arachis hypogaea) that was initiated by complex hybridizations in the 1960s and propagated by international seed exchange. However, until this study, the global scale of the dispersal of genetic contributions from this wild accession had been obscured by the multiple germplasm transfers, breeding cycles, and unrecorded genetic mixing between lineages that had occurred over the years.

A new project is being pursued by scientists from the University of California Riverside to develop edible plants into mRNA vaccine factories. If successful, plants such as lettuce and spinach can produce the vaccines and be grown in backyards and even entire fields.The mRNA technology is currently being used to produce COVID-19 vaccines in plants. It works by teaching human cells to recognize and protect the body against infectious diseases.

Mr. Phạm Thành Nhân, Dong Thap Muoi Research and Development Centre, leaving for IRRI, the Philippines, to join the three-month training course by IRRI from  November 13, 2019 to January 21, 2020

Mr. Li Jianqiang (Director), Ms. Feng Chunmei (Technical Director), Mr. Tan Yewei (Business Manager) - Subtropical  Crop Research Institute, QuangXi, China, paid a short visit how to cooperate with the IAS about crop production and consumption, November 12, 2019.

- Online meeting to assess the theme of "Cassava Yield Trial of HL-S12 genotype" on June 2nd 2021

- Online meeting to assess the final report of "Integrated and advanced practices on cashew nut farms based on value chain for export" on June 21 2021

The export turnover of agriculture obtained $US 41.25 billion (2.6% increased); including agro-products ($18.49 B), husbandry products ($0.32 B), aqua-products ($8.38 B) and processed wood & furniture products ($13.17 B). The trade surplus in term of agriculture got $USD 10.29 billion. The conversion of rice cultivated areas with low economic efficiency into other crops, fishery, orchards, etc. was recognized as 128,000 ha, including 99,000 ha and 29,000 ha in South and North, respectively.