Fighting Malaria Sustainably: An Investigation of the Innovation System for Biobased Malaria Repellents in East Africa

https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.5.4.16

Authors

  • Martina Ayoub University of Edinburgh Business School, 17 Buccleuch Pl, Edinburgh EH8 9LN, Edinburgh https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1711-2135
  • Ivar Virgin Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Linnégatan 87D, 115 23 Stockholm, Sweden
  • Tatien Masharabu University of Burundi, Research Centre in Natural and Environmental Sciences (CRSNE), 02 Avenue de l'Unesco, P.0. Box 2700 Bujumbura, Burundi https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2035-0772
  • Ginette Karirekinyana ACECI/Karire Products, Ecovillage of Ruvumvu/Bubanza, Rohero Av. Mugamba no 11, Bujumbura, Burundi

Keywords:

Biobased Innovation, TIS, Malaria, Regional Co-operation, East Africa

Abstract

This paper investigates a biobased innovation system producing a catnip plant-based mosquito repellent developed to fight malaria in East Africa. We adopt a technological innovation system (TIS) methodology. Previous studies on TIS in the global south emphasized innovation diffusion, rather than development. In contrast, we study the catnip-based mosquito repellents in East Africa, a R&D and innovation driven TIS. Our results highlight the potential of innovation development in East Africa by demonstrating strong TIS functions such as entrepreneurial activity, knowledge sharing, and legitimacy building. However, the TIS functions, market creation, resource mobilisation and policy guidance were relatively weak. This suggests that the innovation challenges in East Africa are not always related to a lack of knowledge generation or entrepreneurial capabilities, but more due to a structural feature such as lack of finance, resources, and supportive policies. Our study also demonstrates how local bio-entrepreneurs benefit from business incubation through regional cooperation.

Dimensions

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Published

2024-10-12

How to Cite

Ayoub, M., Virgin, I., Masharabu, T., & Karirekinyana, G. (2024). Fighting Malaria Sustainably: An Investigation of the Innovation System for Biobased Malaria Repellents in East Africa. African Journal of Empirical Research, 5(4), 185–196. https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.5.4.16

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 4 (2024): Oct-Dec 2024

Section

Articles
Copyright & Licensing

Copyright (c) 2024 Martina Ayoub, Ivar Virgin, Tatien Masharabu, Ginette Karirekinyana

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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