Bioresources Innovations Network for Eastern African

Development Bio-Innovate Program

Seyoum LetaBio-Innovate Program Manager

International Livestock Research InstituteNairobi, Kenya

Bio-Innovate Program (2010-2014): Its Contributions to the Eastern Africa Bio-

economy

Presentation outline

• Some Development scenarios• Bio-Innovate Program background• Why Bio-Innovate?• Vision, mission and objectives • Program core focus areas• Program key result areas• Bio-Innovate Program

management• Bio-Innovate competitive grant

scheme Projects• Bio-Innovate beyond 2014

• The Setting:

• Agricultural modernization and environmental sustainability is a key element in the development strategy of the Eastern Africa Region

A major boost in agricultural productivity should free up resources (in particular labor) for other economic activities

Innovation with supportive policy environment plays a key role in this modernization process

Hence, regional initiatives that generate and facilitate such innovation or ensure their sustainable adoption by farmers/user communities play an important role

According to WHO 2005: World Population is projected to reach 8

billion by 2025 80% the world's population lives in

LDCs Population density in Developing

countries 55 persons/km2 at present to 90-100

people/km2. 1billion people go hungry every day &

live in abject poverty Feeding and housing increasing

population - pressure on Environmental

resources (land, water, energy other

NRs )

Sub-regional Challenges

• Feeding the rapidly increasing population

• Increasing rural-urban migration• By 2050 urban population expected

to be 100 million, • hence the challenge of feeding and

providing them with employment,• Restoration/rehabilitation of severely

degraded ecosystems

FAO Index of Net Food Output per Capita, 1961-2000

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

World E SE Asia South Asia Sub-Sahara

More Africans are getting hungry: Sub-Saharan Africa's share of world hunger is rising sharply

63%

26%

6%1%4%

SS-Africa

Asia

Latin America

NIS

North Africa

2010: 694 million will be hungry globally

Source: USDA/ERS, Food Security Assessment, December 2000

44%

40%

8%

2%6%

SS-Africa

Asia

Latin America

NIS

North Africa

2000: 744 million are hungry globally

334 MILLION AFRICANS

435 MILLION AFRICANS

Death of an Ecosystem

Prevalence of Undernourishment in Africa (1995/97)

20-34% Moderately high> 35% Very high

5-19% Moderately low 2.5-4% Very low < 2.5% Extremely low

Proportion of population undernourished

GuineaBissau

Madagascar

Libya

Tunisia

Egypt

South Africa Lesotho

Swaziland

Sudan

NigeriaCote D’IvoireGhana

TogoBenin

Ethiopia

Somalia

Kenya

Tanzania

Botswana

EritreaChad

AngolaZambia

Malawi

Zimbabwe

Congo

CameroonC.A.R

Niger

Western Sahara

Morocco

Algeria

Mauritania

Uganda

Djibouti

Mali

Burkina Faso

Namibia

Liberia

Gabon

Equatorial Guinea

Sierra Leone

Gambia

Rwanda

Senegal

Burundi

Mozambique

Guinea

D.R.Congo

Source: World Food Programme Home Page, www.wfp.org3/21/01

The prospect for an Eastern African knowledge based bio-economy

Long term development goals for SSA : Ensure food security Improve rural livelihoods through

diversifying economies Increase competitiveness of African

exports in regional and global trade

Two emerging challenges : The growing demand for food, feed and

bio-based renewable materials (bio-fuels) changing the conditions for the bio-resource production world wide

At the same time, modern biosciences is providing an increasingly powerful innovation engine at a global scale for sustainable agricultural production, waste treatment, energy production and development of a diverse range of novel bio-products

The African governments through their regional governance and cooperation such as AU/NEPAD, COMESA, and EAC have recognized that:

Modern bioscience innovation can be a tool to strategically assist countries in the EA to make a transition to a knowledge based and sustainable bio-resource economy

The importance of regional collaboration in pooling resources and expertise through a regional program able to strategically assist Eastern Africa to make the transition to a knowledge based and sustainable bio-economy.

The Bio-Innovate Program

• Bio-Innovate is a newly established Multi-disciplinary competitive funding mechanism for biosciences research and product oriented innovation activities in eastern Africa

• The Program is supported by an initial grant of SEK 80m (USD 10.7m) from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) over the 5 year period (2010-2014) under the Agreement signed between Sida and ILRI in January 2010

Additional Climate Change Fund

• Sida allocated additional grant of MSEK 10 (1.3M USD) for the Bio-Innovate Program Thematic Area projects targeting ensuring food security and climate change adaptation in eastern Africa in 2010 and 2011.

• This increases the total Sida Grant to the Bio-Innovate to MSEK 90 (12M USD) over the five years period.

Bio-Innovate Program Network Partners

Uganda

Burundi

Ethiopia

KenyaRwanda

Tanzania

Bio-Innovate Program

Building on previous experiences and achievements

Bio-Innovate is focusing on delivering new products through bioscience innovation systems involving a broad sector of actors, including scientists, the private sector, NGOs and other practitioners.

The Bio-Innovate Program is therefore a bold step to bring together partners from the south and north through a new bio-resource innovation regional platform targeting bioscience innovation activities in eastern Africa (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) and operationally support regional agendas, in particular those articulated by AU-NEPAD and other pertinent regional S&T policies

The Bio-Innovate uses an innovation systems approach engaging new and existing actors in and outside the region in bio-resource innovations, laying foundation as well as up- and out-scaling approaches for development

• to generate science-based solutions for stimulating adaptability of crop-based farming systems to climate change, enhance crop, feed and bio-fuel productivity and provide farmers with more agribusiness opportunities

• to address the environmental pollution threats by developing efficient waste management technologies and up-scaling of emerging pilot technologies, with a focus on the agro-processing sector

• pooling expertise through a regional bioscience innovation network, enabling cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary policy and sustainability analysis on how bioscience innovation could support sustainable development in the region

Bio-Innovate therefore focuses on strengthening biosciences innovation in the region:

The Bio-Innovate Program Identity

• Has identified strategic, thematic focus areas that interface value addition and innovation through interlinked activities in Eastern Africa

• Focuses on biosciences innovations in agriculture, the environment and agro-processing industry, with support to regional, interdisciplinary innovation projects

– linked as consortia involving countries in the region including the private sector with the purpose of generating regional public goods

– are comprised of a range of value chain actors critical to span the process from science to

production and markets

– Focus on product development and delivery systems

Vision, mission and objectives 

Vision

To develop into a Program of excellence that contributes to sustainable and integrated utilization of bio-resources for economic growth and development of eastern Africa

MissionTo create and promote bio-resource based innovation systems in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda for sustainable utilization and integration of the innovations into Eastern Africa’s economic development processes

Purpose

• To create a Program whereby innovations for sustainable utilization, transformation and integration of eastern Africa’s bio-resources are discovered, developed, intensified and disseminated to promote regional economic growth and development

• The key guiding principles :• value-addition, • multi-disciplinarity, • competitiveness, • subsidiarity and • mainstreaming of investments into national and

regional development agenda•  

Strategic thematic focus Areas of Bio-Innovate Program

1) Climate change adaptability, productivity and improvement for food and nutrition security

• The focus is on intensification of R4D that promote bio-resource innovations to enhance productivity, nutrition and food quality and foster climate change adaptation of selected strategic commodities such as sorghum, millet, cassava and sweet potato in Eastern Africa

2) Waste treatment, bio-energy for renewable bio-resources, and securing freshwater resources

• Focus on protection of water resources and the environment targeting recovery of value added products from solid waste and wastewater:

• Innovative ways to use bio-waste for energy and other value added product production and provision of clean freshwater resources and minimize greenhouse gas emissions

3) Innovation incubation and promotion of targeted value chains

• Focus on taking near market products along the value chain to end-users• Cover pilot level testing for economic

feasibility, marketability and acceptability• up- and out-scaling of innovations through

technology incubation centre(s) and innovation platforms thereby improving adoption and deployment of science-based solutions to development challenges in the region

4) Bio-resource innovation policy and sustainability analysis

• Addresses key issues for the policy studies on how applications of biosciences in Eastern Africa could lead to a more sustainable agricultural and agro-processing sector, able to promote economic growth and effectively alleviate poverty, including:

• Analysis of and addressing gaps in the technology dissemination chains

• Exploring technology transfer models

• Exploring and analysing models of funding of technology dissemination processes

Bio-innovate Program Management

• The Bio-Innovate Program is being implemented as a technology and policy platform implemented via a CGS managed by the Program Management Office (PMO) with support of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)

• The CGS are open to a wider Eastern Africa research network, and operated through a number of strategically developed calls for innovation proposals

• Calls for proposals are framed on the basis of the Program’s thematic areas and closely linked to the needs and S&T strategies for the region, in support of the AU-NEPAD agenda for science and technology

Hosting arrangement

• Hosted and managed by ILRI and co-located with the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) - ILRI Hub in Nairobi

• The Hub is regionally shared research platform for eastern and central Africa, with first class research and training facilities where African scientists are applying modern biosciences to address some of the continent’s pressing problems in food security, environmental sustainability and responding to the challenges of climate change

• Provides Bio-Innovate with opportunities for synergies with the BecA-ILRI Hub and related initiatives through joint activities, including resource mobilization

Scientific and Technical Management

of the Program

In its Program Implementations, the PMO is supported and advised by:

1) an independent Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) which provide oversight on the Program, peer review of the competitive grant scheme, and Program monitoring and evaluation

2) An independent experts of Panel of reviewers for scientific and technical review of the concept notes and full proposals

3) Project Consortia Leaders (TLs) are also responsible for respective thematic area Project Consortia at lead institutions in the Bio-Innovate participating countries

Linkages to regional and national S&T Organs

The Bio-Innovate Program is working closely with the regional bodies and Eastern Africa Councils for Science and Technology from Bio-Innovate participating countries in strengthening regional collaboration in science and technology to enable the continent to adapt the rapid advances and promises of modern biosciences

Designing and Implementation of CGS:

1) First Call for Concept Notes on Adapting to Climate Change in Agriculture and the Environment in eastern Africa targeted:

• improving crop productivity and resilience to climate change in small-scale farming systems (theme 1); and

• Improving the efficiency of the agro-processing industry to add value to local bio-resources in a sustainable manner (theme 2)

2) Second Call for Concept Notes on Technology Incubation and Policy Analysis in eastern Africa targeted:

• Innovation incubation and promotion of targeted value chains (theme 3)

• Bioresources policy and sustainability analysis in eastern Africa (theme 4)

• In its first call for proposals on “Adapting to Climate Change in Agriculture and the Environment in Eastern Africa”, the Bio-Innovate Program is supporting five innovation projects working to improve the productivity of sorghum, millet, cassava, sweet

potato, potato and bean farmers; to help smallholder farmers adapt to climate change;

to improve the processing of wastes in the production of sisal and coffee; and to better treat waste water generated in leather processing and slaughterhouse operations

• In the second call for proposals on “Innovation Incubation and Promotion of Targeted Value Chains and Bio-resources Innovation Policy and Sustainability Analysis in Eastern Africa”, The Bio-Innovate Program is supporting four innovation incubation and policy projects.

The Bio-Innovate Program is being implemented by addressing four Thematic Areas through 9 regional, multi-disciplinary innovation and policy projects selected through the Program Competitive Gant scheme (CGS),

which were operated through a number of strategically developed calls for proposals in the four thematic priority areas

These innovation and policy project consortia are comprised of a range of value chain actors critical to span the process from science to production and markets

Involvement of market actors and other practitioners in the innovation project consortia are crucial in order to ensure that products, knowledge and new technologies emanating from the Bio-Innovate Program reach the market and specified end users

Project 1Delivering New Sorghum and Finger Millet innovations for Food Security and Improving Livelihoods in Eastern Africa

This innovation consortium project aims at delivering sorghum and finger millet technologies that minimize the effects of climate change; and raise productivity and income of sorghum and finger millet producing farmers through development-oriented research and action in eastern Africa

Consortium Project Lead Institution: Department of Biology, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Collaborating Partner Institutions: Department of Crop Science, Makerere University, Uganda

Department of Botany, MOI University, KenyaMaseno University, KenyaMichekoni Agricultural Research Institute,

TanzaniaEthiopian Institute of Agricultural Research,

EthiopiaInternational Collaboration: Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology,

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, (Sweden)Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of Georgia-Athens (UGA, USA)International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT-Nairobi Office)Biosciences for eastern and Central Africa-ILRI hub

Project 2Enhancing Food Security through Improved Seed Systems of Appropriate Varieties of Cassava, Potato and Sweet potato Resilient to Climate Change in Eastern Africa.

The purpose of this innovation consortium project is to evaluate and deploy improved varieties of cassava, potato and sweet potato that are adapted to climate change in diverse agro-ecologies, and developing and institutionalizing efficient seed multiplication and delivery system in Eastern Africa

Consortium Project Lead Institution: Department of Crop Science, Makerere University (MAK-Uganda), Collaborating partner Institutions: • Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (KAZARDI-Ugnada),• Dept. of Biology, Addis Ababa University (AAU-Ethiopia),• Jomo Kenyatta Univerity of Agricultrure abd Technology (JKUAT-Kenya)• Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI-Kenya)• Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda (ISAR-Rwnada)• Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute (MARI-Tanzania)• National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI-Uganda)

International Collaboration: International Potato Centre (CIP-Niarobi)Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU-Sweden)University of Helsinki (UoH-Finland)

Private Sector and Development Organizations:• Uganda National Seed Potato Producers Association (UNSPPA-Ugnada) and Kisima Farm (Kenya); Red

barna (Ethiopia), URUGAGA IMBARAGA (Rwanda), and Genetic Technologies International Ltd (GTIL-Tanzania)

Project 3:Value Added Bean Technologies for enhancing Food Security, Nutrition, Income and Resilience to cope with Climate Change and Variability Challenges in Eastern Africa.

This project focuses on the development and promotion of integrated and efficient bean value chains for increased productivity, nutritional value, commercialization and competitiveness of beans commodity in eastern Africa

Consortium Project Lead Institution: Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI-Kenya), Collaborating Partner Institutions: Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR-

Ethiopia) Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU-Burundi)College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University

of Nairobi (UoN-Kenya)Selian Agricultural Research Institute (SARI-Tanzania) Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda (ISAR-

Rwanda) International Collaborations: Pan African Bean Research Alliance/International Centre for

Tropical Agriculture (PBRA-CIAT) Private Sector and Development organizations: Trufoods Ltd (Kenya)• Seed Companies, Farmers Groups and Cooperative Unions• Community based organizations and NGOs including CARE, CRS, and Concern Burundi

Project 4: Sustainable utilization of agro-industrial wastes through integration of bio-energy and mushroom production.

The consortium environmental innovation project aims at demonstrating innovative technologies to produce value added products (mushroom and bio-energy from agro-industrial wastes (coffee processing and sisal wastes) while at the same time reducing environmental pollution burden in eastern Africa

Consortium Project Lead Institution: University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM-Tanzania)

Collaborating Partner Institutions: Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University (AAU-Ethiopia) Pwani University College (Kenya)

International Collaborations: Brandberg University of Technology,

GermanyDanish Technical University, Denmark)

Private Sector and Development organizations: • Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Ltd (Sisal Plantations)• Coffee Plantations Development Enterprise (Ethiopia)• Kilif Plantations (Kenya)

Project 5:Integrated Process for Sustainable Agro-process Waste Treatment and Climate Change Mitigation in Eastern Africa

This consortium environmental innovation project focuses on integrating agro-wastewater treatment with biogas production and water and nutrient reuse for enhanced agro-processing industrial and agricultural productivity in Eastern Africa

Consortium Project Lead Institution: University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM-Tanzania) Collaborating Partner Institutions: Makerere University (MAK-Uganda)

Environmental Science Program Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) National University of Rwanda (NUR-

Rwanda) International Collaborations: AKUT Burkard and partner, Germany Private Sector and Development organizations• Banana Investment Ltd. (Tanzania)• Bassaajjabalaba Hides and Skin (City abattoir, kampla, Uganda)• Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC-Uganda)• Modjo Tannery Sc.co. (Ethiopia); Forum for Environment (FfE) and Environment

and Development Action (ENDA) (Ethiopia

Second Call for Concept Notes on Innovation Incubation and Bioresources Policy and Sustainability Analysis in Eastern Africa

1) The Second Call invited Concept Notes which will address: • up- and out-scaling of innovations through

technology incubation centre(s) and innovation platforms

• address issues needed to provide a supportive policy environment for the ultimate development and promotion and uptake of bio-resource innovations in Eastern Africa//bioinnovate-africa.org/

2) Successful innovation and policy projects from the 2nd call will be supported for three years period (July 2011- June 2014)

Project 6:Use of Biosciences for Value Addition and Diversification to Enhance Commercialization of Sorghum and Millet Products in eastern Africa

Purpose To scale-up technologies for commercial production high quality sorghum and millet products (high quality sorghum malt flour (HQMF), clear malt drink (CMD), malted extruded instant flour (MEIF), sorghum flakes (SF) and sorghum snacks (SS)) to improve livelihoods of key players along commodity value chain.

Participating Partner Institutions:Consortium Project Lead Institution:Department of Food Science and

Technology, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA-Tanzania)

Collaborating Partner Institutions: Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Makerere

University (MAK- Uganda)Institute of Nutrition, Food Science and

Technology, Hawassa University (Ethiopia)Private Sector participation: Morogoro Ben’s Winery (MBW-Tanzania)

Lisha Products Limited (Uganda)Addilo Complementary Foods Process Unit

(Ethiopia)

Project 7Bio-enhanced Seeds and Seedlings for Eastern Africa

purpose To develop bio-enhanced seeds and seedlings within a regional, commercial setting to reduce the impact of biotic and abiotic production constraints in crops, for the ultimate benefit of resource-poor farmers.

Participating Institutions/countries

Consortium Project Lead Institution: Department of Horticulture, Jomo Kenyatta University of

Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT-Kenya)

Collaborating International Institutions: International Institute of

Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

Private Sector Participation: Real IPM Company Limited (Kenya)Alpha Seed Company Limited

(Tanzania

Project 8Industrial Enzymes for Sustainable Bio Economy: Large Scale Production and Application in the Industry, Environmental Agriculture in Eastern Africa This project focuses on scaling-up production of three target enzymes (proteases, amylases and xylanases) for use in leather processing, textile, pulp and paper, animal feed processing, starch and detergent industries in the Eastern Africa region.

 Participating Institutions/countriesConsortium Project Lead Institutions: Biotechnology Program, (AAU-

Ethiopia) Collaborating Partner Institutions: Department of Molecular Biology

and Biotechnology, University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM-Tanzania)

Department of Animal Production, National University of Rwanda (NUR-Rwanda)

 International Collaboration: Department of Biotechnology, Lund University (Sweden)

National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (India)

 Private Sector/Development partners: Leather Industry Development Institute (Ethiopia); Modjo Tannery (Ethiopia); Sumbawanga Agriculture and Animal Food Industry (SAAFI-Tanzania); Bekas Chemicals Plc (Ethiopia)

Project 9 Biosciences Innovation Policy Consortium for Eastern Africa (BIPCEA)

The goal of this project is to provide policy support services which are necessary to move research ideas and products to the market, and ultimately lead to a vibrant bio-economy in Eastern Africa.

 Participating Institutions/CountriesConsortium Project Lead Institutions: Uganda National Council for

Science and Technology (UNCST-Uganda)

 Collaborating Partner Institutions: Ministry of Science and Technology

(MoST- Ethiopia) National Council for Science and Technology, Kenya (KNCST-Kenya)Directorate of Science, Technology

and Research (DSTR-Rwanda)Tanzania Commission for Science

and Technology (COSTECH-Tanzania)

 Regional/International Policy Institutions: • African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS Nairobi-

Kenya)• International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech

Applications (ISAAA Africenter, Nairobi, KENYA)• Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI-Sweden)• International Livestock Research Institute IP Office (Kenya)

Innovation and Policy Project Consortia

Research & Train-ing Universities in

EA

Reseacrh Organiza-tions

Policy Institutions Private Industries

Regional initiatives

International Or-ganizations

Universities abroad

Team composition is multi-disciplinary, multi-country to ensure Regionality, Relevance, Efficiency, and Impact orientation

Bio-Innovate Innovation Project Consortia

The Bio-Innovate Projects:

• Are regional and multi-disciplinary on related innovation project consortia developed via a CGS

• are comprised of a range of value chain actors critical to span the process from science to production and markets

• Have involved market actors and other practitioners in planning the project in order to ensure that products, knowledge and technologies reach the market and specified end users

• Have involved private sector and other market actors to ensure that the Program funds are matched by other investments, which will increase impact and sustainability of all efforts

Funding Policy for Bio-Innovate Projects

• The funded Bio-Innovate consortia and their component projects have a clear and highly strategic value to the region, and are based on national and regional strategies, and add value to already ongoing national and regional initiatives, avoiding duplication of efforts

Key Program Result Areas KRAs

a) Innovations to enhance crop adaptability to the consequences of climatic change, crop diversification and productivity constraints will be generated•B) Efficient and effective bioscience innovations for environmental clean-up, waste management and sustainable use of resources (water and land) will be generated; c) Technology incubation and other mechanisms for putting research into use by communities and industry will be developed and operationalizedD) Innovation policies for sustainable harnessing of bio-resources developed and promoted

E) An enabling mechanism for mobilization, catalysis and nurture of a strong bio-resource and science-led economic growth agenda for Eastern Africa strengthened and operationalized.

Bio-Innovate Vision beyond 2014

Policy Innovation Practice Impact

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Eastern African Agriculture and Environment

Could this be a myth or become a reality???

THANK YOU