The CoP DPRU and MLiA teams hosted a workshop on 30th July in Cape Town, to discuss "Fibrous Futures: Resilience & Realism: Analysing the legal and economic complexities of the South African fibrous plant micro-industry".
Workshop Objectives (full programme):
To determine the economic and legal opportunities and constraints for developing and sustaining a fibrous plant-based industry in South Africa, by discussing:
- If and how fibre-rich biomass can be used to remediate degraded mine land to build economic complexity, generate high value-add products, build a competitive fibrous plant micro-industry based, and create employment.
- How best to develop this industry within the bounds of South Africa’s current legal framework and economic climate.
- How businesspeople have innovated within the constraints they have faced – this could unlock opportunities for business development in the future.
Presentations:
- Haroon Bhorat: Introduction: Developing a Fibre Micro-industry to Generate Economic Growth from Degraded Land
- Tapiwa Chimbganda & Xihluke Mabasa: An overview of fibre crop cultivation and multi-product value chains for post-mining industrial development
- François Steenkamp: The Fibrous Plant Industry in South Africa: A Sectoral Profile
- Robert Hill: The Fibrous Plant Industry in South Africa: A Product Space Mapping
- Panel: Sandy Paterson - Amanda Mkhonza; Olivia Rumble; Louie Van Schalkwyk: Environmental Regulation: Relevant Legal Processes, Permitting and Obligations
- John Hutchinson: A feasibility study to assess the viability of bamboo processing and product manufacture in South Africa
- Tony Budden: Cannabis can… Hemp opportunities in South Africa
- Panel: Hanri Mostert - Louie Van Schalkwyk; Shane Godfrey; Mpho Tlale; Jacqueline Yeats; Jenny Broadhurst; François Steenkamp: Panel On Stakeholder Interests
