The African Development Bank (AfDB) has given research institutions in Africa funds to help them embark on research projects aimed at improving agricultural production on the continent, a senior official said in an interview with Xinhua on Monday.Freddie Kwesiga, the bank’s representative in Zambia, said in an interview that science-based agriculture was key to unlocking Africa’s agricultural potential and to promote food security on the continent, adding that the bank has so far provided a grant of US$63 million to research institutions in Africa to conduct research in order to boost production."Science-based agriculture is an innovative key to high production of crops and food security in Africa. We are trying to back-up science and technology in order to cushion production impediments,” he said.According to him, research is being conducted on various crops that could be planted in order to boost production and promote food security such as soya beans and cassava instead of depending on maize which mainly depends on rains.