The demands being placed on crop production are increasing, particularly in developing countries. In many instances, the rate of gain in crop yields has dropped while input costs (e.g., fertilizers) have undermined the potential benefi ts gained from introducing new varieties. This situation is particularly true in Africa. The challenge is to meet increased demands for food from a growing population by developing new varieties and improving agricultural production methods that are sustainable in the long term, with minimal negative consequences for the environment. There is an opportunity to enhance agricultural production by applying the results of research to meet the demands for food security and environmental conservation. We believe that ensuring strong plant breeding programs in national agricultural research systems (NARS) will be essential in ensuring the sustainable use of plant genetic resources for the benefi t of mankind. Our fi rst step was the assessment of the current state of 12 African plant breeding programs and trends in the allocation of resources within NARS. This has been the key to identifying gaps in order to develop strategies to strengthen sustainable use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) in these programs. The FAO of the United Nations, in collaboration with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centers and other stakeholders, is assessing plant breeding and related biotechnology country capacity, as set out in the Global Plan of Action (article 14) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). As such, FAO is surveying country information and trends in resource allocation for plant breeding and biotechnology, with the aim of raising awareness and evaluating opportunities for investment. This is the fi rst step towards designing national, regional and/or global strategies to strengthen the capacity of national plant breeding programs. This report concentrates on 12 African countries. In this paper we 1) describe the survey mechanism used by FAO; 2) report on preliminary information gathered on 12 African countries; 3) summarize the recommendations