Biotechnology and nanotechnology: A means for sustainable development in Africa

Abstract

In this twenty-first Century, Africa is still lagging behind both in the development and utilization of new cost-effective and high-productive technologies. This is expected to remain so for a long time to come. The lack of technological innovations and monetary investments are some of the key factors that are viewed as contributing to Africa's perpetual underdevelopment and economic instability. In this context, sound technology transfer and acquisition can play an active role in African development and economic sustainability. This chapter looks at how appropriate technology transfer can enhance economic development in Africa, with particular focus on two specific areas, namely Biotechnology and Nanotechnology. Concurrently, this chapter also reviews and discusses some of the key factors that generally impede technology transfer in Africa. Equally, this chapter also addresses some of the merits and demerits of technology transfer, in particular as related to the African continent and its quest for sustainable development and economic growth. Both Biotechnology and Nanotechnology are relatively new, but these are hot technologies that have great potential in many industrial sectors where they can serve to cost-effectively optimize operational processes, increase efficiency, and maximize productivity.