BioInnovation Africa

Activities and Achievements

Activities

Conditions for implementation of national ABS regulations are improved:

  • Country and stakeholder-specific ABS manuals
  • Blended training course on ABS contracts
  • (Gender-specific) ABS contract negotiation trainings and advice
  • IT-based application and information system
  • Training of IT-based application and information system
  • Guidance and advice on requirements for ABS compliance and permitting procedures

Biodiversity conservation measures as part of benefit-sharing agreements are developed:

  • Catalogue existing and develop potential national mechanisms for biodiversity conservation in benefit-sharing
  • Knowledge exchange on appropriate financing mechanisms at national and international level
  • Mapping of best practices on benefit sharing for conservation among private sector

Market potentials of selected biodiversity-based value chains respecting the UNCTAD BioTrade principles are utilised:

  • Cooperation between European and African businesses
  • Capacity-building for the implementation of sustainable supply chains and for the creation of new job opportunities
  • Supply chain assessments, gap analyses and joint intervention plans
  • Compilation of facts and figures on existing and potential resources and value chains
  • Guidance on national requirements for ABS compliance and permitting procedures
  • Facilitation partnerships on technology transfer to increase local value creation and create job opportunities

German development cooperation is visible as close partner:

  • Roundtables with German companies and BMZ
  • Events on African-European private sector cooperation
  • Public relations material
  • International events for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits

Achievements (phase I)

A “Community of Practice” has been established for the institutional partners of the four BioInnovation Africa countries through a virtual exchange platform. These Technical Exchange Sessions are regularly conducted with a view to discuss and advance project-relevant topics and ensure continuous exchange between stakeholders of the BIA countries.

Partnership agreements or MoU have been signed with following organizations/companies and resources, respectively:

Cameroon:

  • The Body Shop, Weleda, Tropical Forest Products and Guide d’Espoir - value chain support
  • Firmenich - R&D
  • V Mane Fils - R&D and value chain set up

Madagascar:

  • Behave, Aroma Forest - value chain set up/support
  • Floribis, V. Mane Fils - value chain set up/support
  • L’Oréal - value chain support
  • Seppic / SERDEX - sector approach and market access

Namibia:

  • Blue Sky Botanics, Namibia Nature Foundation, KAZA Natural Oils – R&D and market access
  • The Body Shop, Aldivia, Gustav Heess Group and Eudafano Women’s Cooperative (EWC) – value chain support
  • CRIAA SA-DC – R&D and market access
  • Kambaku Energy GmbH, SEED Namibia – value chain support
  • Naturex, NANCi and National Devil’s Claw Export Association Trust (NDCEAT) – standards and market access
  • Regenerative Essences, IRDNC / Kunene Trust – R&D
  • V. Mane Fils, IRDNC / Kunene Trust and Parceval - R&D

South Africa:

  • Dicot Parceval – R&D
  • Kambaku Energy GmbH, Greater Sekhukhune Region Secondary Co-operative (GSRC) – value chain support 
  • International Fragrance Association (IFRA) / International Organization of the Flavor Industry (IOFI), South African Association of the Flavour & Fragrance Industry (SAAFFI), Parceval – sector approach and market access
  • Martin Bauer Group, South African Rooibos Council (SARC), UEBT – standards and market access 
  • V. Mane Fils, Parceval, Southern African Essential Oil Producers’ Association (SAEOPA) – R&D
  • V. Mane Fils, Parceval, Honeybush Community of Practice – R&D and value chain set up 
  • Symrise, HERBS-APLENTY - value chain set up 
  • Symrise, Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region (non-profit) and The Western Cape Nature Conservation Board -R&D, ABS Compliance
  • More than 320,000 ha of wild collection sustainably used
  • More than 1,500 ha of cultivated land sustainably used
  • More than 7,400 field operators with new or better employment / employability of which 83% were women
  • More than 150 stakeholders trained on the valorisation of genetic resources, biological ingredients and ABS contracts, of which 48% were women
  • More than 1,3 Mio. € private sector investments mobilized
  • Twenty cooperation agreements signed
  • Political partners possess several knowledge products, reference guides, videos and online tools to better guide involved stakeholders though national ABS processes