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The
BIO-EARN Newsletter
A
Publication from the BIO-EARN Regional Coordination Office
No
1, June 2006
BIO-EARN
Programme has entered a new challenging and exciting chapter of
conducting research for development (R4D) in agricultural,
environmental and industrial biotechnology. This is after a
successful completion of its phase I and II (1998-2005) of
building capacity in infrastructure and human capital to equip
the East African countries, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda
with competence to conduct R4D in the above three thematic areas
with an overall goal of building a strong bio-resource economy
in the region. The
Programme has now focused on utilizing the human and
infrastructure capacity developed to generate commercial
products and processes. BIO-EARN
is one of the few Programmes that combine, industrial,
environmental and agricultural biotechnology and as it embarks
on R4D it is going to move
towards more integration of these three areas in order to
strengthen its strategic relevance. The
Programme will also go into co-operations and collaborations
with new partners who are more experienced in product
development/technology diffusion such as private companies
(local and multinational), NGOs, Municipal councils, etc. who
will help out in translating the innovations developed by the
Programme into agro-industries and disseminate products to end
users for adopting to positively impact on livelihoods. Thus the
BIO-EARN network is expected to grow into a powerful consortium
that uses biotechnology
tools to
promote the development of eastern
Africa.
Another
new feature of the BIO-EARN R4D Programme that is highlighted in
this newsletter is that its management has shifted to the
region. Previously co-managed by Stockholm Environment Institute
and Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, the
programme will now solely be run by the East African network
partners. The entire network will be coordinated by the Regional
Coordination Office hosted at the Inter University Council for
East Africa (IUCEA), while four R4D and one policy project will
be executed by the implementing East African institutions.
The
current status now is that Sida has released the first
disbursements of the research funds to IUCEA after successful
submission of work plans and budgets received from all the
implementing institutions and compiled by the regional office.
The signing of contracts between the implementing institutions
and IUCEA is ongoing after which funds will be disbursed to them
so that work can start.
The
main challenge that the new BIO-EARN R4D programme faces is
sustainability beyond 2009, which was echoed by various
stakeholders during a Kick-off Workshop held in April 2006.
It is pertinent that all network partners keep this in
focus right from the outset. Concerted effort from all
stakeholders in the region will be required to sustain the
Programme.
To this end, there must be measurable research outputs and
products that will earn BIO-EARN credibility for attracting
continued support from regional governments, industry,
development partners and philanthropic organizations to keep
BIO-EARN going for many years to come.
| “Nothing
succeeds like success” Sir Arthur Helps, 1868
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