Kenya’s bioeconomy sector remains underdeveloped due to critical gaps in education, research, policy, and investment. Despite the sector’s potential to boost green jobs, environmental sustainability, and innovation, universities currently have limited capacity to offer bioeconomy programmes due to weak research systems, underdeveloped policies, and a lack of specialised curricula. Government agencies have sustainability strategies, but many lack strong value propositions to attract investment. The sector is poised for transformation through the National Bioeconomy Educational and Policy Framework in Kenya (Bio-KE) project, a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at closing existing gaps in education, policy, and investment.
Anchored in Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the East African Regional Bioeconomy Strategy, Bio-KE will:
- enhance the institutional capacity to develop a National Bioeconomy Education Framework,
- strengthen the delivery of competency-based curricula for green skills training,
- accelerate collaboration between HEIs and bio-entrepreneurs to improve education and business development, and
- catalyse continuous stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing through Bioeconomy Community Living Labs.
By targeting universities, government agencies, industry players, and communities, Bio-KE seeks to strengthen employable green skills, promote sustainable resource use, and secure Kenya’s position as a regional leader in bioeconomy-driven growth.
