Kofi Annan said yesterday (16 July) that conventional seed breeding, rather than genetically modified (GM) plants, stands a better chance of bringing about a 'green revolution' in Africa.

Annan made his comments after a meeting with the Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki in Nairobi, Kenya, as the new chairman of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an organisation focusing on alleviating poverty and hunger in Africa.

AGRA programmes will not involve GM seeds, Annan said, but will instead focus on conventional seed breeding as a way of decreasing Africa's dependence on food aid.

"As we speak, many people in Africa are receiving food donations. This is however not sustainable," he said. "We need to get the right seeds into [the farmers] hands by strengthening research partnerships with local universities and other institutions."