The Integrated Bioeconomy System:An Introduction

The Integrated Bioeconomy System (IBS) is a unique farming system that enables people to practice sustainable agriculture where resources are scarce, where diverse production activities are required and where positive impacts on the ecosystem need to be ensured. It is the creation of Bioeconomy Africa (BEA), an Ethiopian NGO dedicated to improving livelihoods and restoring environments in Ethiopia and across Africa.

The Integrated Bioeconomy System: Develops sustainable technologies to manage energy and

water Builds intensive systems for food production, soil fertility,

and ecological protection Empowers people to establish integrated and diversified

livelihood activities Promotes livelihoods for women, youth, the disabled and

other vulnerable groups. Enable communities to mitigate and adapt to climate

change

The IBS approach was introduced in the mid-1990s and over 300,000 farmers have benefited. The core of IBS is to train farmers to manage every aspect of agriculture and natural resources - including crops, livestock, soil, trees, sunlight, water, fuel, pollinators, pests, and waste – as part of a single integrated system, exemplified in our demonstration

Biofarms where training takes place. This approach promotes the efficient use and reuse of all kinds of waste: the waste output from each aspect of agriculture is always a powerful input into another part of the system. The IBS system promotes scientific, community-led management of three different and essential forms of capital: Social, Economic, and Ecological. It mixes indigenous knowledge and skills with cutting-edge agricultural and environmental science, in a highly adaptive manner that introduces diverse technologies and training appropriate to each community and ecology.

Bioeconomy Africawww.bioeconomyafrica.org bea@ethionet.et (+251) 0 111 142 764

For more information, please contact Dr. GetachewTikubet, Operations Director

IBS by the numbers

Cost: USD $30 to $50 perfarmer trained- the initial investment to ensure self-sufficient and sustainable agricultural production

Time: 10 days of intensive training at a Biofarm for primary capacity-building and skills transfer

6 monthsfor farmers to apply new agricultural skills in their communities

Benefits: Operational research shows a 106% increase in household income among trainees less than one year after training

Farmers trained: 30,000 farmers in Ethiopia, who have since trained 300,000 more.

Integrated IBS technologies include:

Biogas

Photovoltaic panels

Solar ovens

Fuel-efficient stoves

Organic fertilizer

Water harvesting

Hydroponics

Ecohydrology

Advanced livestock husbandry

Rabbit husbandry

Beekeeping

Botanicals

Earthworm production

Viticulture

Sericulture

Horticulture

Mushroom production

Agro-forestry

Re/Afforestation

Intercropping

Integrated pest/vector control

IBS maximizes agricultural outputs while minimizing external inputs, while boosting community resilience to climate change and natural disasters. The IBS approach improves livelihoods, generates income, creates wealth and builds assets, all while restoring the environment and biodiversity, and improving resilience to climate change and natural disasters. It has been proven to greatly increase agricultural production, including grains, organic vegetables, dairy products, meat, eggs, honey, silk, flowers and more, while promoting the self-reliance of local farmers – leading to massive improvements in incomes and nutrition. At the same time IBS restores soil fertility, water quality, and biodiversity while reducing the population of disease vectors and agricultural pests.

IBS across Africa

As the IBS approach has been refined, BEA and partners including UNDP, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and donor communities

Bioeconomy Africawww.bioeconomyafrica.org bea@ethionet.et (+251) 0 111 142 764

For more information, please contact Dr. GetachewTikubet, Operations Director

have worked to promote and expand the IBS initiative across Africa. A major project has been launched at three sites in Cote d’Ivoire, with another begun in Mozambique. The largest international project to date is in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which began in early 2011. Each international site will serve as a regionalcentre, supporting the expansion and replication of IBS activities in nearby countries.

Bioeconomy Africawww.bioeconomyafrica.org bea@ethionet.et (+251) 0 111 142 764

For more information, please contact Dr. GetachewTikubet, Operations Director