African Biotrade Festival

African Biotrade Festival Explore South African plant biodiversity. BioPANZA is an initiative of the DFFE, the dtic and the DSTI.

The energy at this year’s African Biotrade Festival was unmatched 🌿As Ulrich Feiter from Parceval, representing SABPA, s...
05/11/2025

The energy at this year’s African Biotrade Festival was unmatched 🌿

As Ulrich Feiter from Parceval, representing SABPA, said:

“The 2nd African Biotrade Festival presents an invaluable opportunity for the Southern African biodiversity-based economy to showcase itself to a wider audience... this sector is here to expand and make a difference in the life of rural communities.”

We couldn’t agree more — so much was achieved to the benefit of Biotrade in Southern Africa, and we’re excited for what’s next!

Read more via SABPA 👉https://sabpa.africa/2025/11/04/african-biotrade-festival-repeated-in-2025/

Highlights of the : Biodiversity Monitoring Tool/BioMoT (plenary) - A species and market intelligence tool for public a...
20/09/2025

Highlights of the : Biodiversity Monitoring Tool/BioMoT (plenary) - A species and market intelligence tool for public and private use supporting the SA biotrade sector

The tool was presented by Paul Oldham from One World Analytics and then first the private sector represented by Cyril Lombard and then the public sector represented by Neil Crouch from SANBI for the public sector ´both confirmed the utility of this tool. Some reflections on the users and costs of this tool rounded up this very interesting session.

Regional biotrade collaboration (marula) - Growing Southern Africa’s Marula

Industry through regional collaboration, sector development planning, geographical indication advancements, and market access with European Union (EU) Novel Food application.

In this session, all focused on Marula, Dr. Charlene Musiza and Cyril Lombard reflected on the compilation of a regional geographical indication dossier according to EU regulations on Novel Food, which, as Amanda Nyingwa from the AbioSA project presented, is part of the sector development plan and of the third phase of the AbioSA project. An animated discussion under the form of a fireplace talk included several participants to discuss specific aspects, such as the challenges of a regional approach for guaranteeing quality and considering costs and timeframes for registering procedures, as well as crucial aspects such as how the market will then be shared while guaranteeing benefit sharing for knowledge holders.

The Access Benefit Sharing Agreement for the Honeybush was signed at the 2nd African Biotrade Festival. Hailed as a fram...
20/09/2025

The Access Benefit Sharing Agreement for the Honeybush was signed at the 2nd African Biotrade Festival. Hailed as a framework to foster collaboration between the government, private sector and communities ensuring that the Traditional Knowledge Holders are recognised as partners and benefit sustainably.

The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from the National Khoi and San Council, the ambassadors of Germany and Switzerland to South Africa, as well as South African government delegates from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic).

Your last chance to experience the 2nd African Biotrade Festival. Today is the final day of the . Come experience the c...
20/09/2025

Your last chance to experience the 2nd African Biotrade Festival. Today is the final day of the . Come experience the cultural richness of African natural ingredients and products for yourself. Get the chance to connect with innovative enterprises offering indigenous ingredients – from natural oils to nutrient-rich powders – serving the cosmetic, food & beverage, flavour & fragrance, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Take part in the Wildflowers Art Challenge. The first project in the Wildflower Youth Network is Land Art. Open to kids, families, and adults — everyone can join!

Doors now open from 10am to 5pm.

Highlights: Workshop sessions that took place on Day 2 of the 📄Policy and Legislation Cluster - Indigenous Biological R...
20/09/2025

Highlights: Workshop sessions that took place on Day 2 of the

📄Policy and Legislation Cluster
- Indigenous Biological Resource Traditional knowledge holder, access provider and Industry dialogue workshop.

The workshop explored a) the polarities in the biotrade sector and b) what different stakeholders bring to the sector to imagine what an inclusive biotrade sector can look like.

A panel of Traditional Knowledge holders and industry reflected on the dialogue process between the two groups that has been started and showed how understanding and trust was built in the process – the two went from enemies to friends.

The workshop in the first part analysed polarities (rather than problems) in the biotrade sector and identified the upsides, downsides, warning signs and action items for these polarities.

In the second part of the workshop, participants visualised value chains on the floor and discussed what the role of the Traditional Knowledge holders is in the chain. They used this analysis to discuss what step all can take for more inclusive value chains.

Highlights of Day 1 of the : We successfully launched BioPANZA, a collaboration between the Department of Forestry, Fis...
19/09/2025

Highlights of Day 1 of the : We successfully launched BioPANZA, a collaboration between the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic).

We’re live at !” Day 1 of the 2nd African Biotrade Festival Kicked Off with a Buzz of activity.We successfully launched...
19/09/2025

We’re live at !”

Day 1 of the 2nd African Biotrade Festival Kicked Off with a Buzz of activity.

We successfully launched , a collaboration between the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic).

Are you joining us for Day 2 at the Sandton Convention Centre?

How can we revisit human-plant collaboration?Can a shift of perspective (seeing with new eyes), ignite our imagination a...
17/09/2025

How can we revisit human-plant collaboration?

Can a shift of perspective (seeing with new eyes), ignite our imagination and contribute to a more resilient, equitable and flourishing African bioeconomy?

We invite you to join us in a playful and generative exploration of diverse knowledge systems.

Leaving economic forecasts aside for a moment, interactive dialogues will tap into the diverse knowledge of all participants; foster cross-pollination between science and indigenous knowledge and decipher the politics and ethics of benefit-sharing.

💻https://www.abs-biotrade.info/projects/abiosa/general-information/
📌https://www.tega-project.com/
🖥️https://www.instagram.com/ncah_unplugged/

The is creating an interactive, sensory-driven consumer experience to raise awareness of the biotrade sector. The sess...
17/09/2025

The is creating an interactive, sensory-driven consumer experience to raise awareness of the biotrade sector. The session will showcase the value of biodiversity, the importance of sustainable sourcing, and the cultural richness of African natural ingredients.

Through education, hands-on participation, and sensory engagement, audiences will leave with both knowledge and a memorable encounter. To keep the energy high, hourly competitions will run with exciting canvas giveaways.


Our first project in the Wildflower Youth Network is Land Art. Open to kids, families, and adults — everyone can join!

Gather seeds, leaves, and stones to shape your own design. Snap it, share it, and celebrate creativity.

Visit Seeing with New Eyes to explore what Ncah! unplugged has created — and how young people are stepping into biotrade.

!

Want to learn about Africa’s indigenous biological resources and what they do? Looking to connect and strike a deal with...
17/09/2025

Want to learn about Africa’s indigenous biological resources and what they do?

Looking to connect and strike a deal with exhibiting SMMEs serving operating in diverse value chains and serving several end use sectors? Curious about associations and business support organisations in Southern Africa’s biotrade economy? If you answered yes to any of these then the ABF Information Hub is your stand to visit!

Curated to be the first point of call and GPS for navigating the ABF exhibition space, the Information Hub will connect you to insight and knowledge about the bioeconomy through FREE brochures, and pamphlets for to take home. You will also be able to engage with products from MSMEs from the various value chains such as baobab; buchu, honeybush, sceletium and much more!.

Furthermore the information hub offers a prime location to interact with representatives from sector organisations responsible for promoting and driving the competitiveness of Southern Africa’s biotrade and bioprospecting economy.

Participating sector associations at the at the ABF Information Hub include: African Baobab Alliance; Buchu Association; Natural Products Association of Botswana; Southern African Essential Oil Producers' Association; Southern African Botanical Products Association; South African Honeybush Tea Association

The African Biotrade Festival, taking place 18 – 20 September will be the hub for connecting with various sector associa...
17/09/2025

The African Biotrade Festival, taking place 18 – 20 September will be the hub for connecting with various sector associations within Southern Africa’s biotrade sector. These organisations are integral for promoting and driving the competitiveness of Southern Africa’s biotrade and bioprospecting economy.

Some of the participating sector associations at the at the ABF include:
🌱African Baobab Alliance - https://africanbaobaballiance.org/
🌱Buchu Association - https://buchu.org.za/
🌱Cosmetic Export Council of South Africa - https://www.cecosa.co.za/
🌱Natural Products Association of Botswana;
🌱Namibian Network of the Cosmetics Industry - https://www.nanci.biz/
🌱Southern African Essential Oil Producers' Association - https://www.saeopa.co.za/
🌱Southern African Botanical Products Association - https://www.saeopa.co.za/
🌱South African Honeybush Tea Association - https://sahta.co.za/
and many more !

Come and interact with these associations at their various stands and at the ABF Information Hub.

Address

Johannesburg

Website

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