Bioeconomy Workshop: Dr. Julius Ecuru, Opportunities for a Bioeconomy in West Africa

Dr. Julius Ecuru, Principal Scientist and Manager, Research Innovation Coordination Units, icipe/ BioInnovate Africa ; Co-Chair, International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy

Transcript

1. www.icipe.org Julius Ecuru, PhD Manager, BioInnovate Africa, icipe, Nairobi, Kenya Opportunities for a Bioeconomy in West Africa Towards a West African Regional Bioeconomy: The Contribution of Policy, Science, and Technology Innovations 4 September 2025, Dakar, Senegal
2. www.icipe.org Bioeconomy will enable Africa to achieve its vision for growth
3. www.icipe.org What is bioeconomy? International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB) “The production, use, conservation and regeneration of biological resources to provide sustainable solutions (including information, products, processes and services) in and across all economic sectors”. IACGB (2018; 2024 Features of a Bioeconomy • Biologically based – e.g., biomass • Systemic – involves diverse actors. • Scientifically informed (including indigenous knowledge). • Innovation driven – placing new goods/services in markets. • Cross-sectoral – unites different economic sectors. • Sustainable – circularity & economic, social, & environmental. Bioeconomy is best understood in the context of its application.
4. www.icipe.org How bioeconomy is evolving in Africa Figure 1: Evolutionary paths of bioeconomy in Africa Ecuru & Osano (2024) in the Annual Trends and Outlook Report (ATOR) 2024 on African Food Systems Transformation Chapter
5. www.icipe.org Trends in bioeconomy strategies (World) Figure 2: Global trends in bioeconomy strategies IACGB, 2024 Dietz, et. al. 2024
6. www.icipe.org Trends in bioeconomy strategies (Africa) South African Bioeconomy 2013 Regional Strategies (e.g., East African Regional Bioeconomy Strategy 2022 African Bioeconomy Strategy? Namibian Bioeconomy June 2024 Ethiopian Bioeconomy Dec 2024
7. www.icipe.org Goals of bioeconomy strategies Key outputs/activities • Primary production of key commodities/materials. • Value addition to biomass from ag-produce, other biomaterials. • Bio waste conversion of municipal & agro-industrial waste. • Biodiversity (ecosystem services). Outcomes • Food security • Health and wellbeing • Economic diversification • Rural development • Jobs & incomes Societal impact • Reduced GHG emissions • Sustained economic growth • Better quality of life • Biodiversity conserved
8. www.icipe.org BioInnovate Africa, fostering a bioeconomy in East Africa Scientists – Intellectual assets (early stage) Societal Impact (SDGs, AU Agenda 2063) Partnership with existing firms Innovation Process Picture Source: https://thecheeseitscold.deviantar t.com/art/kids-in-africa-71589834 Innovation – practical solutions for households & firms Creation of new firms • Biodiversity conserved; • Reduced emissions; • Better nutrition, health; • Greener jobs; • Increased incomes; • etc. Photo: Dr. B.S. Mukasa, Scientist & Entrepreneur at Makerere University, Kampala. Courtesy of Bioearn Figure 3: BioInnovate Africa innovation process www.bioinnovate-Africa.org
9. www.icipe.org West Africa has a competitive edge in bioeconomy Table 1: Productive Sectors of theWest African Economy (2024) Source: World Bank Data (2025) • Sustainable value addition & building climate resilient supply chains will boost the share of manufacturing. US$ bn
10. www.icipe.org Opportunities – Skills/Knowledge Biomass • Forests • Crops • Livestock • Arthropods/Insects • Aquatic resources • Microbes Skills/Knowledge • Scientific (and indigenous) knowledge can drive innovation in sectors like herbal medicine, organic farming, natural dyes, and sustainable forestry. • E.g., COVIDEX in Uganda for management of SARS-Cov-2 Tools/Tech • Digestion • Composting • Pyrolysis • Fermentation • Extraction • Genomics • Etc. Used to produce high value-added products for agricultural, food, cosmetic, medicinal and/or energetic applications. • Fertahi, et al., 2023
11. www.icipe.org Opportunities - economic Monetizing bio economic interventions is critical to making the business c ase for public and private investment. 10.71 23.41 3.00 100.00 100.00 0.56 71.43 17.14 4.00 200.00 200.00 1.39 - 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00 250.00 OFSP Puree Vermicompost Honey Toffees Biocoversion N-Biofertiliser Insect protein Revenue/USD'000 Products 2021/22 2022/23 Figure 4: One year post funding survey of BioInnovate Africa supported projects (Kidoido, M. et al. (2023)
12. www.icipe.org Opportunities – trade (intra Africa & with other regions) African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA • Bio-based products, including biofertilizers, bioenergy, biocosmetics, natural fibres, essential oils, etc. can boost intra-African trade (ideally under the AfCFTA) Benefit (Private Sector) • Space for both large agri- industrial players and scalable SMEs/startups—such as waste-to-energy businesses, eco-packaging innovators, and rural bio-enterprises. Benefit (Gov’t) • Pathways to diversify economies and meet climate and biodiversity targets.
13. www.icipe.org What is required to advance bioeconomy? National • Investments in R&D. • Create enabling environments for innovation & business (includes infrastructure, favorable regulatory frameworks, access to finance, and skills enhancement). ECOWAS • ECOWAS could coordinate strategic regional vision, policy harmonization, and shared infrastructure (such as EAC did). • Some countries can emerge as regional champions? BioInnovate Africa in West Africa? A regional program/initiative such as BioInnovate Africa could provide technical support, catalyze cross- border collaboration & innovation through coordinated research, drawing in investment, and policy alignment.
14. www.icipe.org Entry points Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) 2024 • 23-24 October 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya (first time outside Germany and in Africa). • GBS 2026 will take place in October 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. Regional Bioeconomy Workshops • Advancing bioeconomy in West Africa, 4 Sept 2025, Dakar, Senegal (policy brief). • G20 in South Africa • Other upcoming events by A2063, icipe and partners. Kampala CAADP Declaration • Timely opportunity to integrate bioeconomic approaches into national strategies and implementation plans.
15. www.icipe.org Bioeconomy connection in the Kampala CAADP Declaration CAADP Commitment 1. Intensify Sustainable Food Production & Agro-Industrialization 2. Boost Investment & Financing 3. Ensure Food & Nutrition Security 4. Advance Inclusivity & Equitable Livelihoods 5. Build Resilient Agrifood Systems 6. Strengthen Agrifood Systems Governance Bioeconomy connection 1. Renewable biological resources, research, technology, & innovation. 2. Scientifically driven & requires funding. 3. Opportunities for value addition, scientific exploration, innovation. 4. Promotes inclusivity & empowers marginalised groups. 5. Sustainable resource use & innovation. 6. Bioeconomy solutions & use of indigenous knowledge. • Taking a bioeconomic approach would accelerate implementation of CAADP • Bioeconomy connection in the CAADP lays ground for continental strategy
16. www.icipe.org Conclusion Bioeconomy is rapidly developing as a growth pathway for the future. Countries & regions that harness its potential will have an early lead in their socioeconomic transformation efforts. Regional collaborations and global partnerships for bioeconomy development can leapfrog into this future.
17. www.icipe.org Thank you www.icipe.org