The background to the bioeconomy expert group is that progress towards knowledge-based bieconomies is increasingly seen as a path towards sustainable economic growth based on renewable resources. This implies economies moving away from fossil fuels and increasingly utilizing renewable resources as base in all sectors of society, such as industry, energy and transport sectors.
A central feature of a knowledge based bio-economy is that scientific research and knowledge are applied to bio-resources, agricultural and agroprocessing systems not only to produce food and feed but also to an increasingly wide range of agro-industrial and value added products with potential applications in many sectors, including the pharmaceutical, chemical industry, energy and transport sector among others.
The key objectives for the Expert Group are to identify:
- in which way countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) could be assisted /benefit from the development of a knowledge based bio-eco
- how Sweden best could support countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in developing knowledge based bio-economies.
A first open invitation letter has been sent out in order to develop an active expert group. A first discussion document is also under development and will soon be shared within the expert group. There will also be a one day international seminar in Stockholm in late November, 2014 to discuss key issues in the draft document with the tentative title “Moving Africa Towards a Knowledge Based Bio-economy; How can Sweden assist”.
Please mail to Ivar Virgin should you want to be a part of this group and the upcoming email list. The Expert Group has a limited budget and the participants cannot get any compensation for their input and work performed. However, there are some opportunities for travel expenses for meetings and seminars