Introduction

A food crisis occurs when rates of hunger and malnutrition rise sharply at local,
national, or global levels. This definition distinguishes a food crisis from chronic hunger,
although food crises are far more likely among populations already suffering from
prolonged hunger and malnutrition. A food crisis is usually set off by a shock to either
supply or demand for food and often involves a sudden spike in food prices. The world
food crisis of 2008 actually had its origins in the surpluses of the 1980s (Timmer, 2010).
As food prices plummeted and markets remained depressed for years, investors, donors,
and domestic policymakers all walked away from agriculture, because it was a declining
industry with low financial returns. Biotechnology can help solve the worlds food crisis
as one of the promising tools for improving the productivity of agriculture and increasing
the incomes of the rural poor.

Biotechnology is defined as the application of scientific and engineering

principles to the processing of material by biological agents to provide goods and
services (Saini, 2010). Meanwhile (Mahgoub, 2016) defined biotechnology as the
application of biological organisms, systems or processes to the manufacturing and
service industries. In simpler word, Biotechnology is the summation of activities
involving technological tools and living organism in such a way that it will enhance the
efficiency of the production.

Biotechnology has been practiced for many centuries, through breeding and
selection of superior plants and animals, use of yeast in bread, enzymes in cheese,

brewing, soy sauce and vinegar production. In fact, food biotechnology employs the tools
of modern genetics in the age old process of improving food production. This technology
helps to produce an abundant supply of better lasting and more nutritious foods. Over
time, farmers developed techniques to improve their crops, through traditional methods
with limitations of slowly breeding out tens of thousands of unwanted genes.

Today modern biotechnology allows food producers achieve same feats with
greater understanding and precision. Over the past few years a number of methodologies
have come that would seem to have much more to offer in terms of advancing current
research in the plant sciences, and exploiting the knowledge gained to develop new crops.
In the 21st century, biotechnology and information technology tend to re-invigorate life
expectancy, productivity, growth in food and agricultural production, thus ensuring
sustainability (Jd, 2012). Based on an understanding of DNA, scientists have developed
solutions to increase agricultural productivity. Starting from the ability to identify genes
that may confer advantages on certain crops, and the ability to work with such
characteristics very precisely, biotechnology enhances breeders ability to make
improvements in crops and livestock. Agricultural biotechnology in particular promises
much, such as drought resistant crop varieties for Africa. We need at least 50 percent
more food production by 2030, with little scope for additional cultivated land, with more
expensive energy, with no more availability of water and the unpredictable consequences
of climate change (Jones, 2011).