The importance of generating and documenting varietal change in sub-Saharan Africa.

This chapter focuses on the potential contributions of modern cultivar change to agricultural development in Africa south of Sahara. The direct positive consequences of the use of improved cultivars for food security are discussed and the role of modern cultivar change in setting the stage for the adoption of more intensive crop production practices, such as row planting, and as a precursor to the judicious use of purchased inputs that spark multiplier effects for economic growth are highlighted.