Exploring Global Market Opportunities: A Look into the Southern African Botanical Products Association’s Endeavors
Established in 2023, the Southern African Botanical Products Association (SABPA) serves as a unified platform for those involved in the botanical ingredient and product industry in the southern African region. SABPA’s primary mission centers around enhancing product quality, streamlining supply chains, eliminating market entry obstructions, and ensuring adherence to the Nagoya Protocol’s regulations, which focus on safeguarding local knowledge and Access-Benefit-Sharing (ABS). The association also strives for worldwide recognition of botanical commodities from this region.
In 2024, the SABPA entered into a crucial partnership with the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA). The collaboration targets amplifying market opportunities for underexploited resources from the southern African area and recognizing and securing the local wisdom connected to these resources. SABPA has been industriously advocating its cause through a wide range of avenues, such as global meetings, trade events, panel discussions, online seminars, and more.
Alongside the much-anticipated 23rd International Congress of the International Society for Ethnopharmacology (ISE) & the 2nd International Congress of the African Phytomedicine Scientific Society (APSS) that took place from October 24 to 26 in 2024, SABPA hosted a symposium on market entry, commercialization, and sustainability of botanical supply chains.
The event saw participation from nearly 80 delegates, including influential persons from the government, academic, and industry sectors. Intending to bridge the knowledge divide in the commercialization process of botanical components and goods, the symposium was sold out and received well. The positive feedback indicated a keen interest in more such events of various formats, such as live workshops and webinars, which would delve deeper into specific subjects and contribute to an educational resource library for SABPA members.
UNPA, the Schwabe Group, Doehler, Eurofins, Oryx Desert Salt, Alkemist Labs, and South African government’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment supported the symposium in a great deal.