TRANSITION TO BIOECONOMY AS A KEY CONCEPT FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Issue № 7, 2026, article № 2, pages 11-28

Section:

Language: Russian

Original language title: ПЕРЕХОД К БИОЭКОНОМИКЕ КАК КЛЮЧЕВОЙ КОНЦЕПЦИИ РАЗВИТИЯ СЕЛЬСКОГО ХОЗЯЙСТВА: ОПЫТ СТРАН АФРИКИ К ЮГУ ОТ САХАРЫ

Keywords: BIOECONOMY, CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY, CIRCULAR ECONOMY, INTERDISCIPLINARITY, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, AGRICULTURE, PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY, NEW BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PRODUCTS, AGROBIODIVERSITY, SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Abstract: The key task of modern agriculture is the transformation of agricultural systems to ensure food security in the context of global changes. Bioeconomy is seen as a promising approach within the framework of sustainable development, which allows simultaneously achieving two goals. Firstly, to increase the economic efficiency of agriculture through the use of innovative solutions. Secondly, to reduce the anthropogenic pressure on agro-ecological systems. Bioeconomy is a developing field of research, while at the same time there is growing interest from states in implementing bioeconomic initiatives into the real sector of the economy. The article presents an analysis of the current state of bioeconomy application in agriculture of the studied region. Special attention is paid to the role of the state in promoting bioeconomic activities in crop production through the development, approval and implementation of relevant national strategies; creation of a regulatory framework for regulating bioeconomy; and the identification of promising areas of scientific research that contribute to ensuring a stable food supply to a rapidly growing region of the planet. The aim of the study is to explore the key areas of bioeconomic activity focused on addressing urgent food security problems in Sub-Saharan Africa with an emphasis on crop production and plant breeding. The research is based on analysis of Russian and foreign scientific publications from peer-reviewed journals as well as reports published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, African Union Development Agency, strategic documents of African states, and the Statistical Office of World Bank. The meaningful results of the study include the identification of core directions in the field of plant biotechnology and existing government initiatives to maintain agrobiodiversity and mechanisms for involving countries in the common continental agenda on food security. The findings of this study enrich current understanding of bioeconomic activities in Sub-Saharan African countries. This will be useful in developing joint Russian-African programs to advance breeding and seed production as well as create new biotechnological products.

Authors: Lukomets Viacheslav Mikhailovich, Lukomets Artem Viacheslavovich, Tsatsenko Natalia Andreevna