The Role of Biotechnology in the Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in Africa

Recently, the world has been challenged with two major crisis; global climate change and rapid population growth. These impediments have led to hunger, poverty, socioeconomic crisis, political instability, increase disease burden and mortality rate. In an effort to circumvent these challenges, the united Nation in 2000 officially established in a summit the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This paper describes the MDGs stating its objectives to improve standards on health, socioeconomic status and education by tackling poverty, hunger and disease, increasing educational opportunities in the world’s poorest countries and creating a global development partnership. It also describes biotechnology as one of the leading technologies to foster development in the world, outlining its application in the health and agricultural sector, in environmental protection and chemical, agro-alimentary industries and how it can be exploited to attain the MDG. The impediments hindering the growth of this technology in Africa are also discussed stating various measures and means to accommodate and promote its growth in this continent of the globe. In conclusion, biotechnology is acclaimed to stand at the forefront in achieving the MDGs in Africa. However, more effort is need from policy makers to institute and build capacity in order to promote the growth of this technology in Africa so as to alleviate poverty, hunger, diseases, other socioeconomic problems of major concern and foster development in Africa.