The bio-economy is portrayed by many governments, industry and other actors as a solution for healthcare, food security, environmental remediation and climate crises as well as an economic driver for poverty reduction. Commonly associated with modern biotechnology, the bio-economy also includes bio-resources, based on the processing and upgrading of biological raw materials and the establishment of new value chains centred on producing biofuels and managing waste. Increasingly, bio-economy conceptualisations embrace too the commercial use of biodiversity and traditional knowledge as a strategy for livelihoods and economic development.

Located at the interface of fast-changing genetic and information technologies, and the juncture of a wide range of social, environmental, political and ethical concerns, the bio-economy has changed fundamentally the way in which biodiversity is used, conserved and commercialised. Although touted as a panacea for resolving the environmental, social and economic predicaments we face, critical questions have been raised about who stands to benefit, the involvement of local and indigenous communities, and the economic and political drivers behind the bio-economy “push”. Such questions emerge in a number of contemporary debates ranging from the use of genetically modified crops and, increasingly, gene-editing, through to the challenges faced by sharing benefits from genetic sequence data, the “biopiracy” charges of patenting biodiversity and traditional knowledge, and the impacts of “Green Revolution” approaches to agriculture.

Despite the profound implications of these issues, our understanding of the environmental, political and social dynamics of the bio-economy remains poorly developed. The Bio-economy Research Chair at the University of Cape Town aims to address this knowledge gap, to deepen critical thinking around these questions, and to inspire a scholarship that explores possibilities for socially just and environmentally sustainable approaches, with a particular focus on the Global South. We focus on building a critical mass of intellectual capacity, enabling human capital development and in particular a new cohort of skilled postgraduate students, and informing policy and public debate in this rapidly evolving but under-developed field.

Engaged scholarship is an underlying principle of our work: we have a strong focus on ethical community and civil society engagement which is mutually beneficial; we actively pursue research projects that address poverty, inequality and social injustice; we use these experiences to inform policymakers and to train students; and we bring rigour to these findings through peer-reviewed publications, and by imbuing a deeper and more dynamic research culture within the university.