Biotechnological applications, especially transgenic plants, probably hold the most promise in augmenting agricultural production in the first decades of the next millennium. However, the application of these technologies to the agriculture of tropical regions where the largest areas of low productivity are located, and where they are most needed, remains a major challenge. In this paper, some of the important issues that need to be considered to ensure that plant biotechnology is effectively transferred to the developing world are discussed. The subject is considered under the following headings: (1) the case for genetically engineered plants; (2) soil acidity: a problem for agriculture in the tropics; (3) tropical acid soils that could be used for agriculture; (4) aluminium toxicity; (5) an example of how transgenic plants could improve productivity in acid soils; and (6) transfer of technology to Developing Countries.