Folasade Akinwole-Bisong

Nigerian scientist advancing agricultural biotechnology to enhance food production in Africa.

Folasade Akinwole-Bisong, born in 1972, is a Nigerian molecular biologist driving agricultural biotechnology to tackle Africa’s food challenges. As a professor at the University of Ibadan, she leads research on genetically modified (GM) crops resistant to pests and drought. Her team developed a GM cassava variety that boosts yields by 30% and retains nutritional value, a breakthrough for Nigeria’s staple crop. She co-founded the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), which collaborates with governments to regulate and adopt GM technologies safely. Akinwole-Bisong’s work has been recognized by the Nigerian Academy of Science and the World Economic Forum, where she advocates for science-based policies. She authored 《Biotechnology in African Agriculture: Myths and Realities》, challenging misconceptions about GM crops. Her TEDx talk, "Engineering Tomorrow’s Harvest," explains how biotech can feed Africa’s growing population. Her efforts have influenced Nigeria’s 2017 National Biosafety Management Act, opening doors for biotech farming.