Exploring Global Market Access: A Journey by the Southern African Botanical Products Association
The Southern African Botanical Products Association (SABPA), established in 2023, acts as a pillar supporting the botanical ingredient and product sector of southern Africa. The association’s mission encompasses enhancing quality, streamlining supply chains, tackling trade barriers, fostering compliance with the Nagoya Protocol’s protection of indigenous expertise and Access-Benefit-Sharing (ABS), and advancing global recognition of Southern African botanical products.
In a bid to harness under-tapped resources from Southern Africa and safeguard associated indigenous knowledge, SABPA reached a consensus with the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) in March 2024 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. Since then, the organization has been advocating its purpose through diversified international platforms including meetings, trade events, discussions, webinars, and similar activities.
Amid the joint convention of the 23rd International Congress of the International Society for Ethnopharmacology (ISE) & the 2nd International Congress of the African Phytomedicine Scientific Society (APSS) spanning from October 24th to the 26th, 2024, SABPA held a one-day symposium. The event emphasized commercialization, trade accessibility, and sustainable supply chain management for botanicals.
The well-attended symposium brought together nearly 80 delegates from governmental, academic, and industrial backgrounds. The objective being to shed light on the prevalent knowledge void in the commercialization lifecycle of botanical ingredients and products. The meet-up, having sold out, was highly appreciated, and the feedback signified the scope for subsequent activities of varied types (for instance, in-depth workshops and webinars to delve deeper into individual topics and create an archive of educational resources accessible to SABPA members).
The symposium talked about several topics (to be added here).
With the backing of UNPA, the Schwabe Group, Doehler, Eurofins, Oryx Desert Salt, Alkemist Labs, and the South African government’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the symposium was a grand success. More details about the event, including the full schedule and background of the speakers, can be accessed at https://sabpa.africa/sabpa-symposium/.