Scaling Up Bioeconomy Innovations for Agrifood System Transformation (ScalingUpBio)

The ScalingUpBio initiative is proposed as a flagship effort to catalyze national action for transforming agrifood systems by addressing resource use efficiency and environmental pollution. This subprogramme is strongly based on FAO's existing national and regional projects and aims to promote and deploy strategic bio-innovations that have the potential for regional replication and mainstreaming. ScalingUpBio is expected to generate knowledge and build capacities for the rural poor, leading to reduced poverty, improved food security, and rural transformation, while also creating new green jobs for youth and balancing trade-offs. It will promote bio-entrepreneurship and business incubation, particularly among young scientists and entrepreneurs, to effectively establish the bioeconomy in partner countries. The sub-programme will also create incentives for technology and innovation in collaboration with universities and research institutions, connecting them to regional and global bioeconomy networks with a special focus on entrepreneurship among youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples. The subprogramme will provide support to four countries: Barbados, Bolivia, Cote D’Ivoire, and Vietnam, and will incorporate regional support for promoting bioinnovations in the Caribbean, Amazon, West Africa, and ASEAN, respectively. The desired outputs will be achieved through relevant activities designed in collaboration with the four countries, with ripple effects in their respective regions:

Output 1: National roadmaps to implement targeted bioinnovations that improve resource efficiency and reduce pollution are developed based on value chain assessments and their technological and innovation potential for value-added production and job creation;

Output 2: Capacities of national institutions (public and private) to support bioinnovations in agrifood systems are enhanced;

Output 3: Sustainable and inclusive business models for bioinnovations through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are supported, leveraging human and financial resources;

Output 4: Knowledge exchange between national stakeholders and global and regional bioeconomy networks are facilitated to empower small-scale producers, youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples entrepreneurs