National Bioeconomy Educational and Policy Framework

Prof. Thomas Rewe is an Associate Professor of Integrated Agro-Systems at Pwani University, serving as Project Coordinator of the EU-funded Bio-KE Project and Principal Investigator for the DANIDA-funded AgroVAL Project. He holds a Doctor of Agricultural Sciences (Dr. sc. agr.) from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, and has over 18 years’ experience in university teaching, research, and leadership. He previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs & Research) at the Great Lakes University of Kisumu, overseeing academic, postgraduate, and research portfolios. Prof. Rewe has demonstrated exceptional capacity in mobilizing and managing research grants, fostering partnerships, promoting innovation, and steering interdisciplinary research teams toward national and regional development goals.

Highlights

• Appointment as the World Bioeconomy Association (WBA) Ambassador for East Africa (2026). This prestigious role acknowledges Prof. Rewe’s leadership, expertise, and commitment to advancing bioeconomy solutions across the region.

• Invitation to the UN Science Summit 2025 in New York as a speaker at the session on Academic Global Collaboration in the Bioeconomy and a panelist in the high-level roundtable on futureproofing our food systems to tackle non-communicable diseases organised by the Danish Consulate in New York

Selected Research Grants and Projects

• Coordinator: Bio-KE Project – EU Funded (EUR 899,994): National Bioeconomy Education and Policy Framework (2025–2029)
• PI: AgroVAL Project – DANIDA Funded (DKK 11,998,331): Agro-Industrial Waste Valorization in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Denmark (2022–2026)
• Consultant: Waste to Wealth Project – UNEP-CCAC Funded: Circular Economy Solutions for Agricultural Residues (2025–2028)
• Consumtant: PFFP Project: Funded by IKEA Foundation, Implemented by SNV 2025 – 2029)

The Bio-KE Project which is a consortium of Kenyan and international institutions, coordinated by Pwani University, has secured a EU grant to implement the Development of a National Bioeconomy Educational and Policy Framework in Kenya (Bio-KE Project) the initiative seeks to strengthen capacity in training and research to stimulate investment in Kenya’s bioeconomy sector. It will align with the Government of Kenya’s Green Transition priorities, with a focus on sustainable energy, biodiversity conservation, agri-food systems, climate resilience, and disaster risk reduction. The Bio-KE Project (www.bio-ke.org) will develop a Competency-Based National Bioeconomy Education Framework and establish Virtual Reality Bioeconomy Museums of the Future (VR-BMF) to enhance student–industry engagement and bolster government support for sustainable, biobased economic growth. The consortium comprises Government Partners: Commission for University Education, National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation. University Partners: Egerton University, Chuka University. Industry partner Africa Bioenergy Programmes limited. International Partners: The University of Hohenheim, Technical University of Denmark and other Associated Partners including Ministry of Agriculture, International Science Council, National Research Fund, KUCCPS, Bioeconomy Coalition of Africa, AGriKilimo, International Development Institute.

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