Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (DSI) Blade Nzimande. Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (DSI) Blade Nzimande. File Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)
Durban - Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (DSI) Blade Nzimande has emphasised the importance of scientists making use of natural resources and traditional medicines in health system interventions.
Nzimande was speaking at the sixth annual Bio Africa Convention at the Durban International Convention Centre yesterday, with more than 100 scientists looking at how they can use natural medicine resources to address social ills and boost the economy.
The theme of the conference, “Re-imagining biotechnology innovation for Africa’s development security”, looked at new technologies and innovations that are constantly developing, the need for biotechnologies and biotechnology products in the realm of climate change, fossil fuel replacement, sustainable development and health care.
Nzimande said that the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that South Africa (like the rest of the world) could no longer depend on a single health system intervention, especially where pandemic preparedness was central. “South Africa is well positioned to develop a sustainable and complementary indigenous knowledge (IK)-based health system. In line with its inclusivity principle, our Decadal Plan embraces two STI health systems, prioritising both a contemporary 4IR precision and digital approach, and IK-rooted health innovation responses,” he said.
“As the department we have taken upon ourselves the importance of pushing health, agricultural innovation and industrial biotechnology. This would help in cultivating and investing in our natural resources and ensuring that we … put in an investment where we are able to grow what we have and have acquired over time …
“As part of the DSI’s industrial bio-economy implementation plan, we have identified the following vertical biorefinery technology flagship programmes for implementation: (a) forestry biorefinery, sugar biorefinery, waste (green) biorefinery, and algal biorefinery.
“Recognising the need for the country to transit(ion) from fossil-based industry (as a major supplier of commodity products) to bio-based commodities (through the integrated biorefinery approaches), the DSI is driving several initiatives aimed at developing a sustainable bio-based economy implementation in South Africa,” he said.
Nzimande said these initiatives included the Bio-energy Atlas, which is a decision-making tool that guides biomass availability in the country; and the Biorefinery Industry Development Facility (BIDF), which is being implemented with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, to enhance industry competitiveness.
The establishment of the BIDF cost around R37.5 million, Nzimande said.
“We also established the Biorefinery Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Consortium, which was aimed at developing cutting-edge RDI biorefinery technologies.”
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