Bio-resources Innovations Network for Eastern
African Development
Bio-Innovate Program progress and achievements
Allan Liavoga
Regional Experts Workshop on Development, Regulation and Use of
Bio-pesticides in East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 22–23 May 2014

What is the True Size of Africa?

Africa’s Paradox!
Africa is the richest continent in bio-resources BUT per capita
income is the lowest!
Africa has the largest arable land BUT has the lowest productivity of
all the regions!
• Import food $20 bn annually
Africa is majorly Primary economy BUT no economy has developed
purely on Primary production!
Africa is aiming to industrialize BUT how to deal with
environmental degradation ?
Substantial research investment BUT not translating to impactful
technological solutions!

What Needs to Happen
Harness and integrate bio-resources into
socio-economic development
Adopt modern bioscience innovations as a
tool for development
Partner with private sector to deliver
innovations to the market place
Establish enabling policy environment for
innovation
Establish enabling policy environment for
innovation

What Needs to Happen
üHarness and integrate bio-resources
into socio-economic development
üAdopt modern bioscience innovations
as a tool for development
üPartner with private sector to deliver
innovations to the market place
üEstablish enabling policy environment
for innovation
üEstablish enabling policy environment
for innovation

Bio-Innovate Program
• Established to support biosciences research
and product oriented innovation activities
in the eastern Africa, 2010 – 2014
•
• Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania,
and Uganda
•
• Currently funding 9 innovation and policy
consortia projects
• Program is supported by the Swedish
International Development Cooperation
Agency
• Complimentary funds from private sector

Purpose of Program
The program is asking the question how to move
bioscience innovations into the marketplace for
sustainable utilization and integration of the region’s
bio-resources for economic growth and sustainable
development?

Program Guiding Principles
• Science – Generate new
knowledge
• Innovation – Emphasis on
product development &
pathway to commercialization
•
•
• Regional Impact – sustainable
and scalable social and
economic benefits
ResearchResearch

InnovationInnovation

ScalableScalable

Effective Partnerships to link Research to Innovations to End
Users
•
• Innovation systems
approach
•
• Effective
partnerships
innovators and
delivery agents
• Translating
innovations into
forms easily
adopted by end
users
•
• Favorable policy
environment for
innovation

Collaborators and Partners

International
organizations
4
International
organizations
4
University
11
University
11
National
Research
Institutes
10
National
Research
Institutes
10
Regional
initiatives
3
Regional
initiatives
3
Private
sector
21
Private
sector
21
Smallholder
farmers and
Agro-
industries
Creating effective partnerships along innovation value
chain
National
Governments
6
Development
Partners
1

Project3.Bean
technologies
Project3.Bean
technologies
Project 2. Cassava, Potato and
Sweet Potato
Project 2. Cassava, Potato and
Sweet Potato
Project 1. Sorghum and
Millet
Project 1. Sorghum and
Millet
Project 4. Bio-energy and
mushroom production
from agro-industrial
wastes
Project 4. Bio-energy and
mushroom production
from agro-industrial
wastes
Project 5. Waste treatment and
production of biogas and bio-
fertilizers
Project 5. Waste treatment and
production of biogas and bio-
fertilizers
Project 6. Sorghum and
Millet value addition
Project 6. Sorghum and
Millet value addition
Project 7. Bio-enhanced seedsProject 7. Bio-enhanced seeds
Project 8. Industrial enzymes
application
Project 8. Industrial enzymes
application
Project 9. Bio-sciences
innovation policy
Project 9. Bio-sciences
innovation policy
1. Crop Productivity and
Resilience to Climate
Change
2. Agro-industrial Waste
Treatment and Value Addition
3. Incubation and Promotion
of Targeted value chains
4. Bio-resources
Innovation Policy and
Sustainability Analysis
Thematic Focus

Bio-Innovate Phase II (2015 – 2019)
Strengthen link along innovation chain
Stage-wise funding of bio-innovations
Academ
i
aPrivateSector
Up-scaling
Commercialization
Out-scaling
Innovation
Pilot testingResearch
Proof of
Concept

Integrated Waste Treatment and Value Addition – Banana Wine Factory

Thank You!
www.bioinnovate-africa.org