Time For ACTION! Valorization Tool

By running the Time for ACTION! Valorization Tool, development practitioners will be able to set up national valorization task forces and assess domestic R&D capabilities, identify potential ABS value chains and prioritize catalytic R&D funding based on their expected return on investment using the valorization scorecard, understand the business models of the industries using genetic resources, take the driver’s seat and engage in ABS Business Dialogues to develop bottom-up ABS value chains, design business-friendly ABS strategies and, over time engineer knowledge-based biodiscovery partnerships to yield broader development dividends in contribution to the SDGs.

The co-designing phase of the Time for ACTION! Valorization Tool took place from June 2018 to March 2019. The trial phase was initiated in April 2019 through the ABS Business Dialogues Series where the tool was tested on bottom-up ABS value chains from 3 pilot countries namely Rwanda, Sudan, and Comoros. The results of lessons learned from the pilot case studies and potential ABS value chains were presented and discussed at the 2nd edition of the Pan African Community of Practice Series held in July 2019 in Seychelles.

A dedicated Valorization Workbook was initiated to offer a rigorous methodology and provide a good foundation to codify the growing body of knowledge extracted from the pilot cases. It features the Time for ACTION! Valorization Tool, useful context, case studies, key findings, lessons learned, strategic guidelines for ABS practitioners to foster biodiscovery partnerships, and actionable recommendations for policymakers to enable business-friendly processes and attract domestic and foreign ABS investments along potential ABS value chains that can yield broader development dividends in contribution to the SDGs.