Abstract
Global food security is influenced by a number of factors, the key ones being the rates of population and economic growth, food productivity per unit area and food distribution. While population growth is increasing all the time, the area under cultivation is fairly constant. This brings the food security issue into focusing on increasing crop yields per unit area. In the developed parts of the world significant progress in food productivity has been achieved. In Asia, the green revolution resulted in major increases in productivity of cereals but in Africa the productivity of major cereals has remained at about 1 ton per hectare since the mid 19th century. Crop productivity and therefore food security is influenced by germplasm, soil health and fertility, crop husbandry practices, employment of appropriate biotechnologies and management of crop diseases and pests – hence the role of plant pathology and entomology. This paper attempts to highlight the role of plant pathology and biotechnology in food security on the African continent.
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Onsando, J.M., Wambugu, F. (2009). The Role of Plant Pathology and Biotechnology in Food Security in Africa. In: Strange, R., Gullino, M. (eds) The Role of Plant Pathology in Food Safety and Food Security. Plant Pathology in the 21st Century, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8932-9_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8932-9_7
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