Biological diversity has contributed in many ways to the development of human culture, and mankind has in turn influenced biological diversity (FAO, 1999). In today’s modern economy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, forestry, fisheries, and tourism are heavily dependent on using a diversity of biological resources. AU/NEPAD High-Level Panel on Biotech-nology (2006) rightly recognized that one of the critical capabilities that exist in Africa is the wealth of biodiversity that can potentially serve as a resource for wealth creation with the aid of biotechnological tools. But how these resources are managed, particularly how they are conserved and used, has a profound effect, for better or for worse, on available diversity and the ecological services that sustain life. For example, the destruction of habitats as a result of competing for human needs has often resulted in the loss of numerous plant and animal species and the services they help provide. On the other hand, the proper harnessing of the linkages between biotechnology and the diversity of the biological resources provides a good platform for conservation of the diversity required to meet challenges of food security, health, poverty, wealth creation, and furtherance of overall developmental goals of West African countries.

FAO (1993) defines agricultural biodiversity as the variety and variability of animals, plants, and micro-organisms that are important to food and agriculture which result from the interaction between the environment, genetic resources, and the management systems and practices used by people. Mulvany (1998) describes agricultural biodiversity as a vital subset of biodiversity comprising of varieties, breeds, species, and agro-ecosystems that underpin universal food security and provide the genetic material needed for industry, agriculture, and biotechnology. In agriculture, biotechnology has a potential role in enhancing agricultural productivity, food security and promoting the conservation, scientific characterization, and use of genetic resources to improve human well-being. Therefore, as an integral part of the focus on developing a holistic biotechnology strategy for West African countries, the need to explore and incorporate the beneficial interplay between biotechnology and agricultural biodiversity resources cannot be overemphasized.