Indigenous Knowledge and Plant Biodiversity through ... · Harnessing South Africa’s competitive...

‘Adding value to South Africa’s Indigenous Knowledge and Plant

Biodiversity through Scientific Innovation’

Marthinus Horak

CSIR Enterprise Creation for Development

www.csir.co.za www.csir.co.za

Contents

• Background

o South Africa’s knowledge and biodiversity resources

• Rural agro-processing enterprises: lessons from the trenches

o Essential oils and medicinal plant demonstration projects funded by

Department Science and Technology

• Conclusions

Slid

e 2

www.csir.co.za

Background information

• The CSIR: o Is a leading technology development institution

o Contributes to socio-economic development of the country through knowledge creation and knowledge application activities

o Contributes to national imperatives of job creation, rural development, human capital development and meeting of basic needs.

• Enterprise Creation for Development (ECD): o Utilizes science and technology solutions to address poverty and

underdevelopment

o Sources technology from CSIR units and other participants in the National System of Innovation

‒ Currently implementing a portfolio of DST-funded essential oil and medicinal plant (EO&MP) projects aimed at demonstrating agro-processing businesses in favour of socio-economically excluded, rural communities.

Slide 3

www.csir.co.za

South Africa’s plant biodiversity

• 24 500 plant species occur in South Africa

o Approximately 10% of plant species known to man

o South Africa represents only 2% of land surface area of the world

o Many endemic species

o Nine unique vegetation types

• Plants occur in highly diverse ecosystems

o Adapted to extreme climatic conditions

o Many species evolved and survived for millennia

o Developed sophisticated chemical defence mechanisms

‒ Potential source of biologically active metabolites

Slide 4

www.csir.co.za

South Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems

• Local Traditional Healer practices:

o A long history of traditional use of indigenous plants to treat human ailments

o More than 200 000 Traditional Healers are active throughout the country

o Approximately 70% of South Africans regularly consult a Healer

• Knowledge of medicinal value of indigenous plants

o not yet leveraged for the benefit of sustainable development in South Africa

Slide 5

www.csir.co.za

National System of Innovation

• Indigenous plant species have been researched by botanists, taxonomists, plant ecologists, etc. at many universities and research institutes during the past 60 years

• Natural product chemists, pharmacologists, etc. have contributed significantly to mankind’s understanding of biologically active substances from plants since the second world war

Slide 6


South Africa’s competitive advantage

Unique

Plant Biodiversity

Indigenous

Knowledge System

National System

of Innovation


Harnessing South Africa’s competitive advantage

Biodiversity

Scientific

Innovation

Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Research findings, publications, technology packages, patents

New enterprises that cultivate and process indigenous plants with fragrant, cosmetic, medicinal and/or nutritional value

‘Innovation chasm’

Focus area for CSIR Enterprise

Creation for Development / DST

Sustainable Livelihoods partnership


Why focus on Essential Oils and Medicinal Plants ?

• Lucrative global markets

• South Africa does not yet participate significantly in these markets, despite our access to resources:

o Heritage of indigenous knowledge on the medicinal use of plants

o History of scientific research at local research institutes and universities

o The diverse climatic regions supports EO&MP species

• EO&MP products o shelf-stable

o high-value

o low volume

• EO&MP - opportunity for on-farm value-addition through processing of harvested crops

Slid

e 9


CSIR-DST EO&MP sector objectives

• Develop the EO&MP sector:

o Identify suitable EO&MP products

o Identify technical production hurdles, source and implement technology solutions

o Create market linkages for locally produced EO&MP products

o Develop sector protocols − land and water use

− environmental issues

− biodiversity access and benefit sharing

• Enterprise creation projects to facilitate participation of developing rural farmers

• Commercialize novel, locally invented EO&MP products

Slide 10

www.csir.co.za

ECD Conceptual Framework

Slide 11

CSIR ECD

(Enterprise Creation for Development)

Donor Agencies and Private Sector

Government Departments

Knowledge Generation Institutions

Beneficiaries:

• Communities

• Enterprises

• Individuals

Stakeholders (NGOs, Agencies, Service Providers etc.)

National, Provincial & Local Policies, Strategies, Programmes & Instruments

Needs

Solutions

Programmes, projects and funding

Funding

Technology and knowledge

www.csir.co.za

Level of ECD involvement

Slide 12

Continually decreasing CSIR

involvement, control and

responsibility

Continually increasing local

involvement, control and

responsibility

Initiate

project

Mentor

business Establish

Infrastructure Establish

production and

create market

linkages

Train staff and

embed Good

Farming and

Manufacturing

Practices

Establish

business

5 years

100% 100%

10%


IKS and scientific research collaboration: a case study

• A consortium of Traditional Healers approached CSIR during early nineties to establish collaboration

• The aim was to scientifically validate the knowledge of Healers on the beneficial uses of various plant species

• The result was the invention of a novel insect repellent product by CSIR

• CSIR patented the use of the essential oil of Lippia javanica as an insect repellent

• CSIR entered into a benefit-sharing agreement with the consortium of Healers whereby royalties on sales are paid

• Three community-based essential oil agro-processing farms currently produce the insect repellent oil

• CSIR licensed a local entrepreneur to manufacture and distribute the mosquito repellent product

• The invention provided an opportunity to demonstrate the value of beneficiation of local natural resources and indigenous knowledge

Slide 13


CSIR innovation leads to community-based cultivation of an

indigenous plant species….

Slide 14


Distillation of crop to give the essential oil….

Slide 15


Formulation of essential oil in candles….

Slide 16


Patented mosquito and fly repellent product on the shelves of

more than 200 local stores

Slide 17


DST EO&MP projects

Slide 18

Geographic dispersion of

projects increases

implementation costs but

facilitates inclusive

development

www.csir.co.za

Rose geranium cultivated by Pella community,

Northern Cape

Slide 19

Distillation factory

www.csir.co.za

Rose geranium essential oil production at KwaNobuhle

Slide 20

www.csir.co.za

Scientifically validated results allow replication of

successful cultivation and processing sites

Slide 21

Telemetric weather stations

and soil moisture meters

are installed on project sites

The quality of EO&MP products are

confirmed through chemical analysis

prior to shipment to buyers


Pilot production of Rosa damascena essential oil

at Ficksburg

22

• Rosa damascena oil of Bulgarian origin certified as organic is worth

R105 000 per kilogram

o The species is suitable for very cold climates

• Project requires horticultural and engineering innovations:

o Stem grafting of imported genetic material to establish a local

propagation system

o Hydro-distillation based

on recycled engine oil as fuel

source to generate steam

Rosa damascena at Ficksburg – November 2013


Regional collaboration: development of the

Essential Oil sector in Uganda

23

• Uganda Industrial Research Institute contracted ECD to assist with

development of the Essential oil sector in Uganda

o Aim is to benefit from ECD’s experience gained while developing the

sector in SA

• Phase 3: Pilot Operation is currently underway

• UIRI staff were trained in SA and ECD staff members undertakes

project site visits in Uganda

Rose geranium crop ready for harvesting Essential oil distillation unit being installed

www.csir.co.za

Requirements for establishing an essential oil

production site

o At least 30 Ha of arable land

o Access to irrigation water

o Access to Eskom electricity

o Approximately 15 workers and one supervisor on 30 Ha

o Construction of a distillation factory on the farm

o On a well-managed farm, the financial returns from sale of oil is sufficient to

cover costs of area under cultivation and yield a profit

o Requires commitment from workers and management

Slide 24

www.csir.co.za

Requirements for establishing an essential oil

production site (continued)

• The project and resultant enterprise must conform to a highly involved

legislative framework: • National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA), as amended

in 2008

• National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act No. 10 of 2004) (NEMBA)

• National Environmental Management: Biodiversity: Amendment Act (2008) –

Integrated Export & Bioprospecting Permits, Material Transfer & Benefit-Sharing

Agreements (BABS Regulations)

• National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (39 of 2004) (NEMAQA)

• National Environmental Management: Waste Act (Act No. 59 of 2008) (NEMWA);

• National Heritage Resources Act (Act No. 25 of 1999) (NHRA)

• National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998) (NWA) – application for a Water Use License

• Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (Act No. 43 of 1983) (CARA)

• Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act No. 85 of 1993) (OHSA),

as amended in 2008

Slide 25

www.csir.co.za

Conclusions

• Agro-processing of high-value essential oils and medicinal plants

under irrigation:

o A viable opportunity for rural farmers

o Requires access to 5 -30 Ha – not a cottage industry

o Technology transfer and market access models are proven

o Wealth creation leads to job creation

But:

• Business models for enterprises on communal land not yet

proven o Management of working capital, cash flow and ongoing mentoring

remains a challenge

o Business partners may be required

• Legislative framework is stifling growth of the sector

Slide 26

www.csir.co.za

Thank You!

Indigenous Knowledge and Plant Biodiversity through ... · Harnessing South Africa’s competitive...

Documents

Transcript of Indigenous Knowledge and Plant Biodiversity through ... · Harnessing South Africa’s competitive...