The document discusses the potential for bioeconomy to transform African food systems in a sustainable way. It outlines several gaps currently inhibiting Africa's bioeconomy, including: 1) Marginal research focus and lack of technology transfer in bioeconomy fields. 2) Production gaps like low yields, management issues, and infrastructure shortcomings facing smallholder farmers. 3) Post-production gaps such as inadequate storage, high post-harvest losses, reliance on unsustainable materials, and underperformance in processing. It also reviews regional bioeconomy plans and policies across Africa and calls for a unified continental strategy, more STEM education and skills training, increased funding, and collaboration across sectors to fully realize bio

1. Assistant Professor, Department of Bioresource
Engineering, McGill University
Bioeconomy: A Path to African Food
System Transformation
Ebenezer M. Kwofie, Raphael Aidoo, Katrin Glatzel, Julius Ecuru

2. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
The African Food System: Overview
A major driver of health, economic growth, and social welfare

3. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
The Role of Bioeconomy
Bioeconomy provides a sustainable
bio-based solution for achieving
• Food and nutrition security
• Economic Growth
• Social welfare
• Planetary health
Applies
science,
technology,
and
innovation
(STI)
Produces and
valorizes
biological
resources over
finite fossil
resources
Create
innovative
bioproducts,
processes,
and
biodiversity
services
How?
About US$7.7 trillion in global
economic impact
EU reports about 17.5 million additional
jobs and €614 billion value added

4. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
Assessing Africa’s Bioeconomy Practice
Our
Approach

5. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
A. Research and Education Gaps
RESEARCH GAPS
• Marginal dispersion and focus on bioeconomy
related research activities
• Struggle to transfer research insights or innovations
to direct bioeconomy policy and strategic actions
01
02
Spatial Distribution
Research Segmentation: Perception and Focus
EDUCATION GAPS
• Disproportionate distribution of bioeconomy related
academic and skill development programs
• Outreach, extension programs, and technical and
vocational skills training are comparatively low
Inadequate investment/funding is a central issue in
all the components discussed

6. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
B. Production Gaps
GAPS McKinsey & Company
Unfavorable farm
inputs and yields
Poor farm management
practices (Synthetic chemicals,
climate change adaptation
gaps)
Inadequate infrastructures
and innovative
technologies
Limited services and
support systems
Knowledge gaps amongst
smallholder farmers
ACTIONS

7. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
C. Postproduction Gaps
Source: Food System Wheel
Critical Gaps
STORAGE
Inadequate storage
facilities is a primary cause
of the enormous
postharvest loss in Africa
1
WASTE GENERATION
• About 40% (174 mt) of total waste
generated is organic waste,
expected to triple by 2050
• 90% of these organic wastes
currently disposed of in
uncontrolled dumpsites
3
RELIANCE ON UNSUSTAINABLE
MATERIALS
• About 50% of synthetic plastic
supply goes into food packaging
(22.30 mt)
• About 90-96% of African rural
households and many SMEs depend
on unsustainable traditional biomass
like fuelwood for cooking energy
4
VALUE ADDITION
Underperformance in the agro-
processing sector
2
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire
alone produce ~ 65% of
global cocoa beans, yet Africa
receives less than 10% of
total revenue from the cocoa
value chain

8. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
EAST AFRICA
East African Bioeconomy Plan
Captures the creation of new and
improved biobased products, enhancing
value addition and innovative utilization
of bioresources and creating alternative
sources of food and feed, health
bioenergy, and ecosystem services
NORTH AFRICA
No standalone Bioeconomy Plan
WEST AFRICA
No standalone Bioeconomy Plan
Related policies include: Science,
Technology, and Innovation Strategy for
Africa 2024; Climate Smart Agriculture
and Food Security Action Plan (Ghana), SOUTHERN AFRICA
South African Bioeconomy Plan
Creating and growing novel industries that
generate bioresources and develop
biobased products, services, and
innovations
No regional standalone plan
CENTRAL AFRICA
No standalone Bioeconomy Plan
Policy Outlook and Development

9. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
Critical Actions: Post-Malabo Agenda
Developing a continental bioeconomy strategy
• Transition from the integration of bioeconomic
policies/strategies into general development plans
Sustainable Bioeconomy Design
Hybridized Bioeconomy Management System
• Integrate top-level and bottom-level stakeholders
in regional and continental bioeconomy design
and implementation
1
2
3
STEM
Education
TVET and
Business
Incubators
Indigenous
Knowledge
Empowering
Smallholder
farmers and
SMEs
Financial
Commitment

10. #2023ReSAKSS #2023ATOR
Take Home Messages
• Embrace effort to integrate competing national efforts, harmonize fragmented
national strengths, and proactively address geopolitical variabilities to develop an
integrated African bioeconomy plan or strategy
• Energize the innovation system to enhance investments in STEM
education, R&D, and TVET to provide both knowledge and
skill-based workforce
• Revise national and continental budgets and deploy hybrid funding
models to sponsor bioeconomy development and subsequent implementation
• Establish collaboration between governments, private sector,
nongovernmental and civil organizations, research and
academic institutions, industry, farmers, SMEs

11. THANK YOU