By: Cynthia Masibo
Worth Noting:
- Bioeconomy, which includes sectors such as biopharmaceuticals, biopackaging, and sustainable industries, has been recognized as a key driver for transforming food systems in Africa. Dr. Karanja pointed out that agriculture contributes between 23 and 35 percent of the GDP in many sub-Saharan African nations, producing vast quantities of biomass that serve as the foundation for bioeconomy initiatives.
- In his speech, the CS highlighted the regional commitment, particularly the East African Community’s development of a bioeconomy strategy in 2022 under Kenya’s leadership.
- “The strategy, the first of its kind in Africa, prioritizes food security, health, bioenergy, and sustainable industries,” said Dr. Karanja.
The inaugural Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) held in Nairobi attracted global leaders, researchers, and policymakers and was seen as a significant opportunity for Africa to advance its bioeconomy agenda.
Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr. Andrew Karanja, welcomed the delegates to the summit while underscoring the growing importance of bioeconomy as a sustainable development model.
“Bioeconomy involves using scientific knowledge to add economic and social value to biological resources in a sustainable way,” Dr. Karanja stated in his opening speech.
He emphasized that bioeconomy offers a pathway for growth with reduced carbon emissions and a commitment to biodiversity preservation.
Bioeconomy, which includes sectors such as biopharmaceuticals, biopackaging, and sustainable industries, has been recognized as a key driver for transforming food systems in Africa. Dr. Karanja pointed out that agriculture contributes between 23 and 35 percent of the GDP in many sub-Saharan African nations, producing vast quantities of biomass that serve as the foundation for bioeconomy initiatives.
In his speech, the CS highlighted the regional commitment, particularly the East African Community’s development of a bioeconomy strategy in 2022 under Kenya’s leadership.
“The strategy, the first of its kind in Africa, prioritizes food security, health, bioenergy, and sustainable industries,” said Dr. Karanja.
It aligns with the East Africa Vision 2050 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, showcasing the region’s ambition to drive growth in harmony with global development goals.
Dr. Karanja called on delegates to explore practical solutions to pressing challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity.
“The GBS coming to Africa recognizes our efforts to build a sustainable bioeconomy and opens opportunities for partnerships with other regions to address these global challenges in a sustainable way,” he remarked.
In his appeal to the international community, the CS urged for the development of clear bioeconomy policies tailored to the unique needs of different regions. He also emphasized the importance of fostering innovation, particularly in agro-processing and value addition to biomass, as a means of creating jobs and improving livelihoods. Partnerships between universities and industries were highlighted as crucial to enabling the scientific breakthroughs required to drive the bioeconomy forward.
Dr. Karanja also advocated for greater cooperation in areas such as bioeconomy standards, financing, and education. He underscored the importance of youth involvement, both in research and entrepreneurial ventures, to ensure the bioeconomy’s success in Africa.
GBS2024 will put further emphasis on bioeconomy as a key model for sustainable transition to fossil-free economies, conservation of biodiversity, and using innovation as a driver for new economic opportunities, especially jobs for the youth. More specifically, GBS 2024 will feature four plenary sessions, 24 parallel workshops, and about 12 exhibitions showcasing the latest advances in bioeconomy research and innovation that are transforming lives in communities around the world. Several issues will be discussed.
The GBS204 will foster global cooperation for the bioeconomy. This is necessary to ensure that bioeconomy advances to benefit society as whole. Such cooperation supports a just transition to the bioeconomy, ensures that any tradeoffs from bioeconomy advancements are carefully managed.
As the summit unfolds, the focus will remain on the collective role of governments, private sectors, civil society, and academia in advancing bioeconomy. “Bioeconomy is becoming the growth pathway for the green future that we all desire,” Dr. Karanja concluded, expressing optimism about the summit’s potential to yield meaningful outcomes for sustainable development across the continent and beyond.
The summit is expected to foster new partnerships and strategies that will bolster Africa’s role in the global bioeconomy landscape.
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