As the world faces unprecedented environmental crises, Africa’s biodiversity offers untapped potential for adaptive, sustainable development. One way to harness this potential is through adopting a bioeconomy perspective, via financial incentives, efforts to support youth, and multilateral cooperation, all discussed at the recent “Bioeconomy for a climate resilient development” event on 3 October, at World Agroforestry centre, Nairobi, hosted by SEI Africa.
The event took place before four major global summits where bioeconomy will play a key role in addressing biodiversity degradation, climate change and desertification:
In attendance were policymakers, scientists and finance experts who underscored the critical role of bioeconomy in fostering resilience and highlighted innovative pathways for Africa’s future.
An economy that values nature and human wellbeing
In his keynote address, David Oburachair of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), underscored the urgent need to harmonize climate and biodiversity solutions. Both need to be addressed to establish a bioeconomy that promotes climate-resilient development, particularly in Africa, where livelihoods are deeply linked to nature and natural resources.
Obura, an expert in marine ecology, cautioned against an over-emphasis in exploiting monetizable natural resources, which can lead to ecosystem degradation, and advocated for a balanced approach that optimizes all benefits from nature. “Due to the very high dependence of rural and urban African populations to nature-based livelihoods and ecosystem services, a bioeconomy based on full sustainability principles is the key solution to the challenges we may face in the future and to long term prosperity for the African continent,” Obura said.
Obura also called for nature-based solutions that align with strategies to reduce emission of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to global warming. These strategies include using clean energy, improving energy efficiency, and protecting forests. He emphasized that a sustainable bioeconomy must ensure equitable access to ecosystem services for local communities.
“Land is the legacy that Africa relies on,” said Patricia Kombothe Youth Negotiator with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Kombo highlighted the importance of intergenerational values in African contexts, and the critical role of land in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, calling for the protection and sustainable use of land. She stressed the necessity of focusing on young people, who rely on land for their futures and who will need scientific knowledge, policies that consider their future needs, and opportunities to learn entrepreneurial skills that empower them to have sustainable livelihoods.
Finance is a key missing link for youth and African nations in this discussion, especially in the context of climate change and technology development. Olufunso Somorin of the African Development Bank (AfDB) said that the financial system in Africa was not designed to support the ambitions of young people, and that access to capital remains a significant hurdle. He proposed establishing a National Youth Fund, governed by young people, to foster entrepreneurship and support youth-led innovations in the bioeconomy.
Multilateral cooperation will be necessary to advance the bioeconomy, particularly in African nations, where industrialization, coordination, financing, and youth employment all come together in the future to create a climate-resilient future. Participants suggested a shift from merely developing proposals for development to creating actionable business plans that could secure startup capital for small enterprises.
“To strengthen our planet, we must embed biodiversity into economic frameworks. Our survival depends on valuing nature’s contributions to humanity,” said Thierry De Oliveira, a lead economist at UNEP.
Commitment to action on bioeconomy and future engagement
Next week’s Global Bioeconomy Summit in Nairobi will be a crucial opportunity for African stakeholders to take a leading role on these significant issues. “It is vital that African nations adopt bioeconomic strategies and integrate them into development frameworks, with South Africa poised to take a leadership role in the upcoming G20 Bioeconomy initiative, the International Bioeconomy forum,” said Julius Ecuru of BioInnovate Africa/icipe, highlighting the significance of bioeconomy actions in climate resilience and sustainable development. South Africa remains the only African country in the International Bioeconomy Forum. Ecuru encouraged other African countries to participate in the forum.
The Global Bioeconomy Summit will also include the launch of the State of the Bioeconomy in Eastern Africa: 2024 report, to which SEI scientists have made significant contributions. The report gives an overview of the bioeconomy in East Africa, the availability and use of bioresources in the region, and emerging opportunities for bioeconomy development, as well as examples of new successful bioeconomy entrepreneurs.
Ambassador Gertrude Angote, Permanent Representative of Kenya to UNEP, highlighted Kenya’s commitment to integrating bioeconomy into its national development agenda, focusing on sustainable agriculture, forestry, afforestation, biotechnology, renewable energy and the circular economy. She emphasized collective responsibility in the rational use and management of resources, including environmental stewardship.
