Artificial Intelligence, Bioinformatics, and Genomics research in food production in Africa: A review

Artificial intelligence (AI), bioinformatics, and genomics are increasingly recognized as transformative tools for addressing food production challenges in Africa. This review critically examines how these technologies have been applied to mitigate constraints such as climate variability, soil degradation, low productivity, and population pressure. Using a structured qualitative review of peer-reviewed literature, institutional reports, and selected country case studies (Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa), the paper synthesizes evidence on technological effectiveness, adoption barriers, and contextual feasibility. The findings reveal uneven levels of technology readiness and adoption across countries, driven by disparities in infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, human capacity, and investment. While AI applications show relatively higher short-term scalability, genomics and bioinformatics face greater institutional and policy constraints despite their long-term potential. The study contributes a comparative and context-specific assessment that informs policymakers, researchers, and practitioners on strategic pathways for deploying data-driven agricultural innovations to enhance food security and sustainable development in Africa.