Pictured Dr Kyayesimira
Team leader, BioInnovate Africa

The project DIVAGRI is approaching the final phase of its development stage, initiated in June 2021 and concluding in May 2025. This pivotal period consolidates the innovative Bio-Based Technologies (BBT) and sustainable agricultural practices designed and tested throughout the project. As the foundation is firmly established, the project transitions into its exploitation phase in January 2025, focusing on scaling and replicating its outcomes for long-term impact. This new phase prioritises the adoption of innovations through enhanced multi-stakeholder engagement, strengthened value chains, and the promotion of sustainable business models, ensuring the project’s legacy creates lasting value across regions and communities. 

The exploitation phase adopts a strategic approach, building on the achievements of the development stage. It integrates knowledge-sharing mechanisms, deepens stakeholder collaboration, and aligns project results with market opportunities to maximise scalability and impact. 

Tailored exploitation plans guide the adoption of BBT by addressing the specific conditions of target regions in Africa. Updated market analyses identify high-potential value chains, ensuring that project outputs align effectively with demand. These tailored approaches enable DIVAGRI to connect its innovations to relevant markets and create actionable pathways for adoption. 

Collaborative partnerships play a central role, engaging farmer cooperatives, policymakers, and private sector actors to ground innovations in real-world applications. Participatory methods foster co-development of strategies, enhancing the adaptability and relevance of BBT while building community ownership and trust. 

Scaling and replication efforts are supported through training programmes and resource toolkits that equip end-users, including farmers and extension officers, with the skills necessary to adopt and sustain the technologies. Knowledge exchange facilitated by regional and international networks ensures that DIVAGRI aligns its efforts with AU-EU partnership priorities, fostering broad dissemination and collaboration. 

The exploitation phase also emphasises the socio-economic dimensions of the project, integrating BBT into agri-food systems to diversify income streams for rural farming communities and strengthen local economic resilience. By exploring innovative business models, the project ensures financial sustainability and scalability of its solutions. 

Through targeted actions, collaborative frameworks, and market-driven strategies, the exploitation phase ensures that DIVAGRI’s innovations deliver enduring benefits. By transforming agricultural systems and promoting circular bioeconomy principles, the project creates a robust foundation for sustainable development across Africa.