Bio-resources Innovations Network for
Eastern African Development
Bio-Innovate Program
Delivering Biosciences Innovations to the Market Place: Bio-Innovate
Program Strategy
Seyoum Leta
First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference
United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC-ECA)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-27 February 2013

Presentation outline
• Bio-Innovate Program overview
• Why Bio-Innovate
• Vision, mission and objectives
• Program Thematic Focus
• Bio-Innovate competitive grant scheme
• Innovations in the making
• Bio-Innovate Program Focus beyond 2014

Opportunities for knowledge based bio-economy for
Sub-Saharan Africa
• Wide Variety bio-resources across the region
• modern biosciences is providing an increasingly
powerful innovations
• Capacities to adapt and use modern biosciences
in various sectors are emerging
• Increased emphasis on the role of biosceinces
innovations at various levels
• There are common development agendas within
the regional policy bodies (IGAD, ECA, CAADP,
NEPAD, ASARECA, etc.), which would benefit
from joint regional implementation

The Missing Link
• Capacities in biosciences in various sectors are scarce
and scattered, with few strong regional initiatives
• No Effective R&D networks comprised of local
institutions, regional and international research
organizations linking with private sectors to use
modern bioscience as a tool for development
• Missing link from research to innovation to delivery to
end users
• Gap in translating innovations into forms easily
adopted by end users - farming communities, agro-
processors, stakeholders in economy
• Unfavorable policy environment for innovation

Burundi
Ethiopia
Kenya
Rwanda
Tanzania
Uganda
Bio-resources Innovations Network for Eastern African
Development (Bio-Innovate) Program

 Established in 2010 to catalyze and support multidisciplinary
biosciences and product oriented innovation activities in the
eastern Africa
To strengthen biosciences innovations for stimulating
adaptability of small scale farming systems to climate change
Enhance crop, feed and biofuel productivity and provide farmers
with more agribusiness opportunities
Address environmental pollution and climate change threats by
creating and up-scaling innovative technologies with a view of
creating more productive and sustainable agro-process
industries
Polling expertise through regional innovation network, enabling
policy analysis on cross cutting issues

WHY
• Need for innovation systems approach engaging new and existing
actors in and outside the region through a new bio-resource
innovation and policy platform for boosting eastern Africa
development
• Need for integrated approach in addressing development challenges
that require collective regional action to maximize synergies and impact;
• Agricultural productivity constraints, market opportunities,
environmental problems such as climate change are regional in nature
and require regional convergence and joint efforts;
• sharing of scarce R&D infrastructure and key competences to avoid
duplication and harness available resources
• Creating mechanism for bringing new knowledge and technologies to
a broad set of institutions and can thus serve as a dynamic and
effective means for developing regional public goods and new
products

Vision
Vision
 To develop into a Program of excellence for
“BIORESOURCES INNOVATION FUND” and
Science, Technology and Innovation think-tank
that contributes to sustainable and integrated
utilization of bio-resources for economic
development of Eastern Africa

Currently, the program comprises of 9 innovation
and policy consortia projects and 57 partnering
and collaborating institutions
Program is supported by the Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency, 2010 – 2014
Complimentary funds from private sector

Collaborators and Partners

Business Not-as-Usual
• Emphasis on product development
and generation of new knowledge
• Partnership approach to deliver
innovations to the end users.
• Regional nature of the Program to
allow for:
– sharing available resources and
exchange of information and
technologies across the region
– complementarity and synergies and
avoid duplication
– wider impact of innovations
• Program is also addressing policy
issues
• RBM approach in Program and project
implementation to ensure that focus
is on results and outcomes. M&E
adopted to reflect RBM approach.

Bio-Innovate Thematic Focus
Project 4. Bio-energy and
Project 4. Bio-energy and
Project 1. Sorghum and
Project 1. Sorghum and mushroom production
mushroom production
Millet
Millet from agro-industrial
from agro-industrial
wastes
wastes
Project 3. Bean
Project 3. Bean
2. Agro-industrial Waste and
technologies
technologies
1. Crop Productivity and
Resilience to Climate Wastewater Treatment and
Change Value Addition
Project 2. Cassava, Potato
Project 2. Cassava, Potato Project 5. Waste treatment
Project 5. Waste treatment
and Sweet Potato
and Sweet Potato and production of biogas and
and production of biogas and
bio-fertilizers
bio-fertilizers
Project 6. Sorghum and
Project 6. Sorghum and
Millet value addition
Millet value addition
3. Innovation Incubation and 4. Bio-resources
Promotion of Targeted value Innovation Policy and
chains Sustainability Analysis
Project 8. Industrial enzymes
Project 8. Industrial enzymes Project 9. Bio-sciences
Project 9. Bio-sciences
application Project 7. Bio-enhanced
Project 7. Bio-enhanced
application innovation policy
innovation policy
seeds
seeds

Bio-Innovate Projects Product development along
the innovation pathway/value chains
Proof of concept Product development Delivery systems
A
C Universities and R4D R4D systems
R4D systems
Universities, R4D
Universities, R4D
T institutions, Private sector, policy makers, market
Private sector, policy makers, market
Institutions
Institutions
O Private sector, systems
systems
R
S
• Field testing Technological innovation Marketing
Product concept • System/process Testing /field evaluation Commercialization
Feasibility studies
establishment Optimization /scale-up Put to end users
Product • Protocols, tools Field production
incubation
P
O Early safety •• STI policies
STI policies Regulatory approvals
Early safety
L evaluation •• Germplasm exchange/
Germplasm exchange/ •Field trial and technology development,
evaluation
I Genetic resource policies
Genetic resource policies bio-pesticide registration,
C •• IP framework
IP framework •Product safety and quality
Y •Technology transfer and licensing

Bio-Innovate consortia project composition
Consortia composition is multi-disciplinary, multi-country to ensure Regionality,
Relevance, Efficiency, and Impact

Program Implementation

Bio-Innovate Competitive Scheme

Program Implementation Manual
Guide implementing institutions
through the project cycle
Contracting and roles of partners in
consortia
Procedures to effectively implement,
monitor and evaluate projects
Fund management guidelines
Adoption of results-based
management approach with a focus
on results and outcomes as opposed
to activities and outputs

Identity
Has identified strategic, thematic focus areas that interface value
addition and innovation through interlinked activities in Eastern
Africa
Is focusing on delivering new products through bioscience
innovation systems involving a range of value chain actors critical to
span the process from science to production and markets
Is implemented as a technology and policy platform via a
competitive grant scheme
Focuses on biosciences innovations in agriculture, the environment
and agro-processing industry, with support to regional,
interdisciplinary innovation projects

Lessons
Challenges
Opportunities
Managing many partners poses a
Better chance of delivery of technologies
to end users with strong partnerships lot of challenges
Continuous and proactivity in co-
Allow for pooling of expertise and key
competencies and creates synergies ordination and monitoring of
among research institutions project activities, reviewing results
and ensuring compliance with
Maximization of resources – human, procedures
capital and financial
Communication is key
Impact is wider – technologies
succeeding in one country can be Harmonizing procedures difficult
replicated and adopted in others due to institutional differences

Key points for consideration by the Implementing Partners
• Need to focus on delivering innovations aimed at solving end-user
problems hence the need to continue to intimately engage private sector
and famers in implementation.
• Need for increasing role of the PI in coordinating and ensuring that the
Project achieves its mission
• Need for efficient communication within the consortia and with the PMO
• Need for concerted efforts in documenting achievements and project
events through Program website, newsletter
• Rigorous M&R activities to capture on going activities, achievements and
engage the media for outreach activities.
• Partners should take full advantage of the alternative procurement process
the PMO is offering for procuring equipment, chemicals and reagents
• Mid-Term REVIEW of the Program currently underway to measure progress
and inform future direction and funding of the Program.
• Scientists to submit full papers not later than 31st March for peer review for
publication in the Conference Proceedings.

Some innovations in the
making

Project 1: Drought resistant sorghum Project 2: Drought and disease resistant
field evaluation , Kenya sweet potato varieties selection, Tanzania
Project 3: Women packing bean
varieties in small affordable packets,
Project 3: Farmers selecting canning
Ethiopia
bean varieties, Kenya

Project 4: Construction of mushroom cultivation from Project 5: Biogas plant, University of Dar es Salaam,
sisal facilities, Kilifi Plantation, Kenya Tanzania
Project 5: Slaughterhouse wastewater recycling and biogas and bio-fertilizer production, Kampala, Uganda

Malted non-alcoholic beverage Ready to eat snacks
Project 6: Value added sorghum and millet products

Integrated technologies for wastewater treatment, biogas production
and water reuse at Modgjo Tannery Sc.co., Ethiopia

Biodigester
Constructed wetland
Equalization
Tank
Sludge Drying
Screen
Integrated system for wastewater treatment, biogas production
at Banana Investment Ltd, Arusha

Policy issues:
•Constraints to biosciences innovation
•Access to genetic resources policy
•Intellectual property protection
•Biotechnology and biosafety policies
•Networking and capacity building
•PPPs and technology transfer
Project 9: The Bio-Innovate Team discussing policy issues with State Minister for Ministry of Science and Technology,
Ethiopia.

Bio-Innovate Beyond 2014
• Up-scaling and commercialization of promising
innovations from the current thematic area consortia
projects
• Widen the scope of the Bio-Innovate focus areas
with focus on delivery of innovations to end users
involving private sector partners
• Integrate technology delivery systems with studies
on cross cutting issues
• Strengthen and increase the existing network
partners

Bio-Innovate Vision beyond 2014
Policy
Policy Innovation
Innovation Practice
Practice Impact
Impact
Eastern African Agriculture and Environment
Eastern African Agriculture and Environment
Collective regional and international efforts can bring an impact!

Acknowledgements
•Ministries/councils for Science &Technology
•Bio-Innovate Projects Leaders and Teams
•Private sectors
•All other partners and collaborators
for more information please visit
www.bioinnovate-africa.org/