TheNational BIO-ECONOMY STRATEGY

1. TheNational BIO-ECONOMY STRATEGY Dr ManeshreeJugmohan-Naidu D: Biotechnology

2. Content • Definition and Aims of the strategy • Timeline • Context • challenges/opportunities • Bio-economyStrategic Objectives • Defining progress

3. Bioeconomy Strategy 2013 "Bioeconomy" refers to activities that make use of bio-innovations, based on biological sources, materials and processes to generate sustainable economic, social and environmental development.

4. Aims of the Bio-economy Strategy: • Provides an economic engine for the new economy which will in turn provide a basis for future growth. • Science-based "biosolutions" can be used to, for instance – • manufacture high-value protein products such as biopharmaceuticals and vaccines; • produce biofuels; • improve and adapt crops; • remedy industrial and municipal waste; • reduce production costs; • reduce environmental impacts; • improve improve the global competitiveness in the health, agriculture and industrial sector the quality of products; • improve the performance of a range of economic sectors. • A key objective is incorporating market pull into innovation activities • Allows SA to respond more directly to global challenges such as the disease burden, food security, competitive industry, climate change and energy requirements as well as to maximise local beneficiation, improved quality of life and economic growth.

5. Linked to other policies

6. Timeline Nat Biotech Strategy 2001 • 2009 Outputs: • 14 platforms established • 73 projects funded • Investment into 31 companies • 221 products & 142 services • 940 jobs • 439 bursaries/indirect study support • R247 mill leveraged (on R1 bill) Bio-economy 5% of GDP 2050 Instruments: BRICs; NBN; PUB 2003 Incorporation of ‘learnings’ Merge into TIA 2009 Functioning NSI 2020 Bio-economy Strategy development 2009-2013

7. Biotech Landscape Basic Applied Tech Develop Commercial Value Chain Performers Funding Agencies Outputs Where to Next: Strategy to strengthen the Bioeconomy……. Industry Science Councils Universities Service Platforms SARChI CoE Centres of Competence/Platforms NIPMO NRF TIA/DST IDC Publications/new knowledge/HCD Patents/new knowledge products

8. SWOT Analysis – SA NSI

9. CONTEXT: Key features of SA Bio-economy’s NSI • Portfolio Analysis Findings: • Investments at HEI’s & SC’s: • Disruptive innovation. • Don’t advance to market. • Companies: • Incremental innovation • IP based companies succeed vs. non-IP based.

10. Large but under-employed rural communities • High burden of disease, excellence in R&D, but under-investment in innovation opportunities • Increasing global food quality standards • Under-utilised – but substantial - livestock populations • Need for continual improvement of commercially-relevant plants & animals • Need to revitalise certain labour-intensive industries to maintain global competitiveness – eg. sugar; forestry • Carbon footprint / green economy • Commercialise& mainstream IKS biodiversity products • Climate Change Challenges/opportunities

11. Bio-economy Approach • Manage NSI according to industry sectors, and incorporate value chain approach • Three thematic chapters: • Agriculture • Health • Industry & Environment

12. Bio-economy: Agriculture Ensure food security, enhance nutrition and improve health and enable job creation through expansion and intensification of sustainable agricultural production and processing. • Strategic projects • Crop/livestock improvement both for biotic and physical stresses associated with climate change (including indigenous crops) • Agroprocessing initiatives • An integrated food nutrition research programme • Animal vaccine capabilities • Energy-crop initiatives • Biocontrol and biofertilisers • Aquaculture • Soil conservation • Water resource management • Build high-value skills and capacities to enable agro-innovation • Co-funding initiatives for innovation

13. Bioeconomy: Health Sector Support and strengthen the country's local RDI capabilities to manufacture APIs, vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical devices to address the disease burden while ensuring security of supply of essential therapeutics and prophylactics. Strategic projects • Develop improved therapeutics and drug delivery systems to address priority diseases – including African Traditional Medicines • Develop new and improved vaccines and biologics • Develop improved diagnostics • Develop improved medical devices • Build clinical research and development capabilities • Establish pharmaceutical manufacturing

14. Bio-economy: Industry and Environment Support research, development and innovation in biological processes for the production of goods and services, while enhancing water and waste-management practices to support green economy. Strategic projects • Strategic industrial biotechnology programmes • Strengthen and develop bioprospecting capacity and capabilities • Strengthen local bioprocessing capabilities • Develop integrated biorefineries from bio-based feedstocks • Strengthen wastewater research, development and innovation • Strengthen waste research, development and innovation • Synergies with enabling and emerging technologies. • Establish an advisory committee for industrial bio-economy

15. Industrial bio-economy Industrial applications Sustainable Environmental Management Bio-based chemicals Bio-materials Bio-energy Water Waste Bulk and speciality chemicals Biocatalysts Biocontrol products Additives Biocomposites Biopolymers Biodiesel Bioethanol Biobutanol Biogas Bioremediation of domestic and industrial wastewater Bioleaching Biometallurgy Biosorption Enabling technologies Biocatalysis

16. Industry The Market Government SERVICES REGULATION Commercial products and services Skills & Human Capital Regulatory Compliance (BiosafetySA; clinical trialing; preclinical platform) Human health products (MCC); Food products (Codex); GMO products (GMO Act); Biocontrol (Act 36) etc IP protection (NIPMO) Commercialise (Exploit IP) Biodiversity Regulations (access & benefit sharing) Incubation (Facilities; business &marketing skills) Innovate (Develop IP) MTAs/ Genomic Sovereignty Pilot scale production (bio-processing; bio-fermentation; bio-pharming) Applied Research (Current Skills) Technology Services (Genomics; Proteomics; Metabolomics; Metagenomics; Bioinformatics; etc) Research Ethics BioDesign (Future Skills) Bio-repository (Human;Animal; Plant; Microbes) Coordinating Committees

17. Role of DST – Key strategic objectives • Coordinate stakeholders and role players.- • Promote active participation of ALL stakeholders is key towards successful implementation, performance objectives and milestones – hence the coordination committees • Coordination of projects across value chain (networking of, & value-addition to, projects) • Orchestration of RDI innovators (incl. Technology Platforms; Team SA) • Alignment of RD&I with industry and govt. needs • Develop strategic innovation competencies. • Development of the full value chain from concept to product. • Bioinformatics, functional genomics, structural biology, synthetic biology and systems biology. • Technology service platforms. • Pilot-scale infrastructure. • Incubation facilities. • Financing. • Human capital development – capital resources not just financially but also multidisciplinary expertise • Instruments to address specific knowledge needs. • Knowledge management to develop a bioportal. • .

18. Role of DST – Key strategic objectives, contd. • Develop strategic innovation programmes to address strategic gaps or opportunities for the country • Identify and drive RD&I in long-term programmes which address National priorities • HIV / AIDS [existing initiatives: DST/MRC - SHIP; SHARP], TB [DST/MRC – SHIP; SATRI] • Ongoing crop/animal improvement [ARC; TIA] • Mainstreaming indigenous products and agricultural goods [IKS; ARC; CSIR; TIA] • Strengthening Industry (revitalisation with alternative, competitive products & processes based on biotechnologies) [Eucalyptus Forestry; Sugarcane Industry; Waste treatment; Biocatalysis; TIA & CSIR]

19. Indicators (to be informed by study)

20. Thank you! ManeshreeJugmohan-Naidu @dst.gov.za