Africa’s farmers must do better. The population of our continent continues to grow, but our ability to produce food remains stuck in the past. Experts say that global food production has to double by 2050 to meet demand, yet here in Africa, the average yield of grain crops hasn’t increased since the 1960s. There is no simple solution to Africa’s problems, and the root causes involve everything from political instability to unrelenting poverty. Yet a few simple steps would make them appear less daunting. The nations of Africa should embrace agricultural biotechnology and also make sure farmers have ready access to fertilizer. Genetically modified crops will guard against one of the most significant threats to farming in Africa: crop failure. These tools also can help farmers survive severe weather, by making crops more resistant to heat, frost, and droughts. Full story here