South Africa and Jamaica strengthen cooperation in science and technology
South Africa's relations with other countries in the South continue to be strengthened in line with the strategic importance government places on South-South partnerships.
As part of this focus, the Department of Science and Technology has convened the 2nd South Africa-Jamaica Joint Committee (JC) Meeting on science and technology (S&T) this week to consolidate its relations with the Caribbean nation. The 2nd JC meeting was coupled with two parallel workshops from 18 to 19 November 2015 on indigenous knowledge-based natural products (nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, traditional medicines and herbal beverages) and water. Some members of Jamaica’s delegation will also participate in the METHODS 2015 Conference from 22 to 25 November.
Jamaica was the second country in the Caribbean with which South Africa formalised relations in S&T (Cuba was the first).
At the 1st SA-Jamaica S&T meeting, held in Kingston last year, it was agreed that the two countries would cooperate in, among others, the areas of the bioeconomy and ocean science, as well as on popularising S&T.
The focus of the bioeconomy collaboration is on nutraceuticals, including best practices in growing plants for and commercialising nutraceuticals (e.g. marijuana, lemon grass and Eucalyptus), and developing herbal products based on indigenous knowledge systems.
In August this year a team of South African experts in indigenous knowledge and product development visited Jamaica on a fact-finding tour.
The 2nd South Africa-Jamaica JC meeting is reviewing the programme of cooperation and planning ahead. Future cooperation will continue to include the popularisation of S&T, and looking into possible business ventures in the bioeconomy, specifically indigenous knowledge.
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