South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the German Development Bank (KfW) have signed a grant agreement to establish the Southern African Biomanufacturing Training Hub to strengthen biomanufacturing capabilities in the region.

The grant is provided by the EU as part of its Global Gateway flagship project, which focuses on manufacturing and improving access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies.

The hub will develop biomanufacturing skills to build a highly skilled workforce capable of supporting the growth of the country's biotechnology, vaccine and biopharmaceutical sectors.

This will strengthen health security, enhance industrial competitiveness and position South Africa as a biomanufacturing hub for Africa, the research organisation says.

The hub will be managed by the CSIR in partnership with national and international institutions.

The funding will be used to upgrade and expand the CSIR’s existing training infrastructure, which will enable specialised hands-on training for up to 400 candidates a year.

The CSIR has a broad range of biomanufacturing competencies that will contribute to the overall goal of increasing the local manufacture of vaccines, pharmaceuticals and therapeutics in Africa.

“We’ve designed a structured biomanufacturing training programmme, including early, intermediate and advanced, to create a clear pathway from foundational skills development to specialist expertise,” says CSIR chief researcher and the Southern African Biomanufacturing Training Hub director Dr Santosh Ramchuran.

The focused programme will combine theoretical learning with practical, hands-on training to prepare graduates and industry professionals for the demands of modern biomanufacturing, he says.

Over the next two years, the CSIR will help address critical skills shortages in bioprocess development, vaccine production, quality control, good manufacturing practices and large-scale biomanufacturing operations.

“Through this partnership with KfW and the EU, the CSIR will significantly expand specialised, hands-on training and help to develop a pipeline of highly skilled professionals equipped to support vaccine, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing,” says CSIR CEO Dr Thulani Dlamini.

“Strengthening skills across the biomanufacturing value chain contributes to a more resilient African health and innovation ecosystem, while creating opportunities for industrial growth, job creation and technological advancement,” he adds.

While growth in biomanufacturing presents significant opportunities for job creation, industrial development and technological innovation, sustained investment in workforce development, technical training infrastructure and partnerships among government, academia, industry and international organisations are needed to realise these opportunities, he notes.

Building a strong biomanufacturing sector requires world-class infrastructure and people with the prerequisite skills to translate scientific innovation into products that improve lives.

The establishment of the Southern African Biomanufacturing Training Hub is a strategic investment in the people, capabilities and partnerships needed to strengthen Africa’s health security and manufacturing capacity, he says.

As demand for biomanufacturing expertise continues to grow across Africa and globally, this strategic investment will contribute to building a highly skilled workforce capable of supporting innovation, strengthening regional health and biotechnology value chains, and driving sustainable industrial development, says Dlamini.

“The EU is partnering with South African youth and talent to build biomanufacturing skills and address the needs of this growing industry,” says former ambassador of the EU Delegation to South Africa Sandra Kramer, who completed her term on August 31.

“By expanding training capacity and offering scholarships, this project will unlock opportunities for the next generation while strengthening local supply chains and manufacturing ecosystems, thereby ensuring Africa’s health security and industrial competitiveness for years to come,” she says.