Presented at the workshop "Moving Africa Towards a Knowledge based Bio-economy: How can Sweden assist?" organised by the SIANI Bio-economy Expert Group. More at: http://www.siani.se/news/siani-bioeconomy-expert-group-business

1. Creating Modern Bio-economies in
Africa
Julius Ecuru
UNCST/BecA-ILRI Hub
At the SEI Bio-economy Workshop
3rd December 2014
Stockholm, Sweden

2. Key message
• Building and/or strengthening bioscience
innovation systems is a precursor to creating
modern bio-economies in Africa;
• Universities (&PRO) and communities are critical
actors this innovation system;
• But they collaborate regionally & globally in
bioscience, taking advantage of regional
economic blocks.

3. Africa’s vision
• Countries in Africa
have a common
aspiration & vision:
– i.e. to achieve middle
income country status as
soon as possible (before
2030?)
– implies moving towards
knowledge based
economy
• Challenge is, how to
get there!
“An integrated, prosperous and peaceful
Africa, driven by its own citizens and
representing a dynamic force in the
global arena” The AU

4. Africa today
• About 12 million people
entering the labour market
annually;-rising middle
class
• 60% of the global arable
land --- increasing
opportunities for
agribusiness dev’t;
• Opportunities for intra-
Africa trade, currently only
15% of total trade;
• Africa fastest growing
region in the world;
• High popn growth rates:
>50% of people <15yrs---
US Senator Chris Coons, 2013

5. The Challenge
 Maintaining higher growth
rates, & making it
inclusive & sustainable;
• Addressing constraints to
agricultural productivity, e.g.
biotic & abiotic stresses;
• But increasing household
incomes key to eradicating
poverty;
• It means diversifying sources of
growth---value addition, agro-
processing, agri-businesses;
• Ensuring environmental
sustainability

6. Creating modern bio-economies is
part of the solution...
• Why?
– Africa has a rich genetic
resource base;
– A rising demand for
renewable bio-resources
brought about by rapid
globalization & climatic
changes;
– Modern bioscience tools
increasingly available;
– Critical mass of scientists
available in some
countries to start with;
Calestous Juma’s optimism:
“This opportunity offers Africa another
opportunity for technological leapfrogging.”
Juma (2011)

7. Building functional bioscience innovation
systems is the foundation for a bio-economy
• i.e. a network of people &
organizations interacting and
learning from each other in
developing, adding value and
processing local crops & other
bio-resources.
• Interaction being facilitated by
enabling institutions (norms,
traditions, standards, etc)
frameworks;

8. Universities’ role is critical, linking
with the community
• If well facilitated,
universities (& public
research organizations)
can catalyse a rapid
evolution of an African
bioscience innovation
systems, and specifically
support the creation of
new bio-based
enterprises/firms, or
significantly enhance the
competitiveness of the
existing ones.
• E.g. in East Africa alone:
– >700,000 students enrolled in
over 170 universities (IUCEA
sources, 2014);
– >70% of population in rural
areas, small-scale farmers;

9. Regional collaboration is key: E.g.
BecA, Bio-innovate, ANAFE
• Translating research products
to innovations through value
addition & incubation;
• Capacity building &
research modern
biosciences
• Enhancing ag-
education, esp.
curriculum dev
…and of course, many other important actors…

10. Going forward
1. Responsive policies
• Policies should be enabling policies---clear
goals with incentives-specific bio-economy
strategies are important
• IP management, taxation regimes, etc.
2. Innovative financing;
• Innovative financing for knowledge based
bio-economies,
3. Competitive products & firms
• Encourage scientists to get into business;
• Support them through active “business”
incubation

11. Conclusion
“ Africa’s economic transformation is starting in the new
age of biology—both as a scientific endevour and as a
metaphor on how we view the world.”
- Calestous Juma, 2013

12. • “There’s a huge
shortage of skilled
people at all levels. We
need bright young
people with new
technological ideas to
solve our environmental
problems”
– (Andre Kuipers, in Holland Herald,
December 2014; p 39)
Source: en.wikipedia.org
https://www.google.se/url?sa=i&rct=j&q
=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&

13. THANK YOU