Speech of Ms Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and
Rural Development, at innovation hub on 08April
MEC Xayiya
Programme Director
Councillors
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
The BioPark plans to position Gauteng as the gateway of agro processed products
to rest of Africa and the world; expand local and export supply of biosciences
products and services for economic growth and job creation and to strengthen
Tshwane as an anchor for the biosciences cluster in Gauteng amongst other
objectives.
Looking at the journey gone and the achievements that we have been able to
achieve thus far I would like to highlight the following:
We have developed the Gauteng Biotechnology Strategy which conceptualised and
identified the need for a Bio park back in 2007/08 financial year. The strategy had 6
pillars and Development of the Bio Park was the main deliverable of the
“Commercialisation of Biotechnology Pillar”. The strategy has been well implemented
across all pillars and highlights of its achievements since 2009 to 2014 include the
highly successful Biotechnology bursary and Internship program which has up to
now supported almost 320 students Biotechnologist who are expected to become
future Bio-entrepreneurs that will be utilising the Bio Park. Of the 320 bursaries and
internships, 45 of these students were at post graduate Masters Level.
We have funded more than 20 Biotechnology R & D Projects in ARC, CSIR and
Universities and in collaboration with NGOs such as AfricaBio. We have undertaken
Public Understanding of Biotechnology through demonstration and Trial Units
(DTUs) in 28 farms and staging of Biotechnology exhibitions at the Tshwane Spring
Show from 2009 as well as the former Bio2Biz conference.
Some of our bursary recipients were first exposed to biotechnology at this show. We
have hosted 3 successful Gauteng Biotechnology Fundi Awards. We have hosted an
international workshop on financing biotechnology start-ups at The Innovation Hub in
2009 called the Biotechnology Business Angels Network. We have partnered with
the “Ile de France Region” of Paris in France to undertake a project called the
Technical Pre-Advise (TPA) of research projects which is an assessment of
commercialisation readiness stage from 2009 -2011. Out of this relationship, the
inaugural Bio-Fundi Awards winners of the Bio-Researcher Category and BioEntrepreneur Category were fully funded to visit Genopole Bio Park in France and
other sites of interest. We have hosted the Agricultural Biotechnology International
Conference (ABIC) in South Africa in 2011.
I am therefore gratified that working together as partners we have overcome the
funding hurdles that were in existence and impeding the construction of the Biopark.
I am pleased that Phase 1 of the BioPark will focus on stimulating entrepreneurship
and value creation in the agro-processing sector, as it offers great prospects for job
creation and food security.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to remark as I conclude that the government of
Gauteng is intended to continue harnessing the biotechnology sector to reach its full
potential and benefit our province. I am very pleased of the progress done so far.
Thank you very much for being a part of this program