Skip to content

event PARI @ GBS 2024: Availability of and competition for biomass in the bioeconomy

This session discussed opportunities and challenges for the availability and effective utilisation of biomass in the bioeconomy.

DATE:
UTC
Share

Session at the Global Bioeconomcy Summit, 23-24 October 2024

Co-organized by icipe/BioInnovate Africa and the Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn (PARI)

Assessing biomass availability, utilisation, regenerative potential, processing technologies, and supply chains, is essential as countries and regions advance towards developing their bioeconomies. Several studies show that countries and regions tend to develop their bioeconomies based on the comparative advantages of their biomass potential. However, as bioeconomies evolve competing uses of biomass, especially in rural areas necessitate careful evaluation to support policy and investment choices more effectively. Therefore, biomass valorisation within a region or country should consider market dynamics including demand and supply forces and non-market values such as biodiversity ecosystem services, and traditional uses, which are often difficult to value. This workshop brought together key country experts from Burundi, Colombia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, and Uganda to discuss biomass availability, competing use, and opportunities and challenges for its effective utilisation in the respective countries or regions. Most of these countries, except Burundi, Colombia, Kenya and India, featured in the The Malabo Montpellier Panel Report on Nature’s Solutions: Policy Innovations and Opportunities for Africa’s Bioeconomy (2022) as countries making effort to advance their bioeconomies according to their unique needs and priorities.

Moderators

Julius Ecuru and Abro Zewdu, icipe/BioInnovate Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

Speakers

  • Solomon Nsabimana, University of Burundi, Burundi
  • Juan Martinez, Bioeconomy Specialist at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Colombia
  • Wisdom Akpalu, Dean, School of Research and Graduate Studies, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Ghana
  • Sulakshana Rao & Dr Ritika Juneja, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), India
  • Menale Kassie, Principal Scientist & Head of Social Science and Impact Assessment, icipe, Kenya
  • Mwangala Nalisa, Lecturer, University of Namibia, Namibia
  • Flic Blakeway, CEO, Trees for Good, South Africa & Ben Durham, Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, South Africa
  • Michael Lubwama, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, CEDAT, Makerere University, Uganda
×