Feeding the increasing populations in Africa requires radical transformation of a largely underdeveloped agriculture over the next four decades. A major challenge is how to increase agricultural production among resource-poor farmers without exacerbating environmental problems and simultaneously coping with climate change, a critical force driving low agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa.

Genomics offers more precise, quick, non-expensive technology that complement classic breeding approaches. However, despite the tremendous progress observed in genetics and molecular breeding worldwide, African universities have remained poorly...