RESAKSS WEBINAR: Dr. Suresh Babu - INSIGHTS FROM THE 2024 ANNUAL TRENDS & OUTLOOK REPORT

Dr. Suresh Babu, Senior Research Fellow; Head of Capacity Strengthening, IFPRI

Transcript

1. RESAKSS WEBINAR: INSIGHTS FROM THE 2024 ANNUAL TRENDS & OUTLOOK REPORT SURESH BABU (SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW AND HEAD OF CAPACITY STRENGTHENING, IFPRI) NOV 28, 2024 Presented to the USAID Mission (Add Date)
2. QUESTIONS ▪ In your contribution to the ATOR, you researched the bioeconomy development in Asia (Thailand) and Latin America (Brazil). Can you share some key insights from this research? What areas of the economy are these countries focusing on, and what policies and institutional set-ups stand out? ▪ Thailand ✓ National Biotechnology Policy Framework, Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model (BCG) and Action Plan, and Bio Hub Asia ✓ The government, private sector, academic and research institutions, civil society, and international organizations are all involved in the bioeconomy sector. The public policies and strategies are developed and implemented in consultation with experts in the bioeconomy through a multistakeholder process. ✓ While the government holds the largest role in providing financing and improving the sustainable management of biodiversity in the country, leveraging public–private partnerships in mobilizing funds, increasing private investment, and employing blended financing are key to a thriving bioeconomy ✓ Sugarcane as a source of biofuel and bioenergy illustrates the development of a bioeconomy that brings together government, private, and other entities. ✓ Multistakeholder consultations and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders—from farmers to processors of raw materials along with investors and end users—facilitate an inclusive bioeconomy growth process in Thailand. ✓ The governance of bioeconomy in Thailand also involves addressing multisectoral goals. While the agricultural sector is a prime actor in the development of the bioeconomy based on crops such as cassava and sugarcane, other sectors are also important, such as biodiversity, forestry, natural resources and environment, trade, and commerce. In addition, bringing together stakeholders from the research and innovation, business, investment, and trade sectors to develop guidelines and regulatory processes has helped to speed up the process of developing bioeconomy businesses. Continuous engagement of these stakeholders and providing accountability at all levels has been the hallmark of the governing process in the development of Thailand’s bioeconomy
3. QUESTIONS ▪ In your contribution to the ATOR, you researched the bioeconomy development in Asia (Thailand) and Latin America (Brazil). Can you share some key insights from this research? What areas of the economy are these countries focusing on, and what policies and institutional set-ups stand out? ▪ Brazil ✓ Bioeconomy development in Brazil is highly integrated with its political economy ✓ Brazil had several broad policy initiatives that addressed the emerging needs of the bioeconomy industry ✓ The 2024 national bioeconomy strategy presents an important integrated vision for nurturing bioeconomy industries a National Bioeconomy Development Plan, which will establish the resources, actions, responsibilities, goals, and indicators for bioeconomy development, in accordance with policies and sectoral plans. ✓ In developing bioeconomy strategies and action plans, the Brazilian government has been concerned with issues related to equity and biodiversity. The role of public and private actors and players in the development of the bioeconomy can be best illustrated by the forestry sector. ✓ Brazil has developed strategic partnerships and alliances with countries that have shown ambition in developing their bioeconomies. For example, it joined the global collective effort with 20 countries to speed up the process of developing and using biofuels as an alternative source of energy ✓ A key aspect of Brazil’s bioeconomy governance framework is the coordination of the vision, mission, and objectives of bioeconomy participants, ranging from smallholder farmers, local buyers and aggregators, processing industries, commercial traders, and final users. In addition, by working with knowledge producers and innovators like EMBRAPA, the private sector, and state departments of agriculture to guide the process of bioeconomy-related innovations and technologies, the governance framework helps to accelerate the process of research and innovation. Collectively, the entities involved in the bioeconomy landscape work together to improve their interactions to achieve needed productivity gains and competitiveness in the Brazilian bioeconomy. ✓ The governance mechanisms guiding the ethanol production system are one example of translating national policies into state-level action. ✓ In the context of specific sectoral approaches, the food–water–energy nexus plays a leading role in Brazil’s bioeconomy development.
4. QUESTIONS ▪ What key recommendations did you and your ATOR chapter co-authors draw from these countries you analyzed? Thailand: ▪ Government of Thailand firmly believes that the bioeconomy holds potential to combine production and conversion of natural and bioresources in a sustainable manner that can enhance the livelihoods of the people who depend on it, reduce social inequality, and overcome the middle-income trap. ▪ Integrated bioeconomy strategies into larger socioeconomic development plans and attempts to effectively use bioscience, biotechnology, and technological innovation to drive business development. ▪ Bringing together science and technology development, business models, and markets for bioproducts and their by-products through increased funding, regulatory frameworks, and collective governance can have a high payoff ▪ Demonstrates the importance of continuous updating among stakeholders and shows that addressing the knowledge gap is key to increasing the competitiveness of Thailand’s bioeconomy.
5. QUESTIONS ▪ What key recommendations did you and your ATOR chapter co-authors draw from these countries you analyzed? Brazil • Development of a bioeconomy involves the effective use of a country’s natural endowments through the confluence of several streams of interventions, including developing and nurturing policy related, institutional, business, and research and innovation environments. • Multiple sectors and multiple stakeholders participate, depending on their interests and the rewards they get from participation. While the government at the federal and regional levels develops policies and strategies that facilitate the research and innovation process, the private sector is incentivized to invest in technology development and the implementation of businesses that benefit the economy. • Institutional mechanisms and regulatory processes are also an important part of providing incentives and ensuring societal goals of biodiversity, sustainability, and inclusivity. • Cooperation across stakeholders in the development of the bioeconomy and the governance of these interactions between the government, private sector, farmers, NGOs, and development partners ensures the emergence of a sustainable bioeconomy. • The international dimension is also very important for Brazil, including sustainable trade. Transforming innovations into business opportunities, ensuring that these businesses sustainably contribute to bioeconomy development and regulating potential conflicts among various actors and players to achieve the collective goals of bioeconomy policies are key to the success of Brazil’s approach
6. QUESTIONS ▪ What role can international research institutions such as IFPRI play in encouraging further South-South cooperation, exchange, and learning on bioeconomy? ▪ Leverage national and regional network: Multistakeholder engagement at the country and regional level ▪ Outreach and sensitization on bioeconomy issues at the national, regional, and global level ▪ Capacity strengthening: Research and analytical capacity ▪ Research and dissemination: Case studies, papers, and policy briefs on existing gaps and best practices
7. THANK YOU