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This paper aims to explore the potential of Bioeconomy as a pathway for sustainable transformation of economies of East Africa. Although East Africa region has shown good growth, this has been accompanied by rising concerns about sustainability, as population growth is putting significant strain on biodiversity undermining capacity for future growth. The search for a new growth pathways points to leveraging bioeconomy. To get insights on the viability of this pathway, this study simulated several scenarios to help inform a regional bioeconomy strategy.

To get insights into the viability of this pathway, a conceptual model to capture demand and supply drivers was constructed and simulations were conducted by using the International Futures (IFs) modelling platform.

The analysis points to the potential of a bioeconomy-driven economic strategy to drive transformation. However, the simulation points to the fact that if not well thought out, it can also be costly in terms of environment, and indeed such a strategy can lead to a disaster in the long run. It is also clear that having a strong Bioeconomy does not necessarily mean being self-sufficient in agricultural production. If saving the forests or increasing forest cover means agricultural imports rise this should be fine. Also, a strong Bioeconomy does not necessarily mean development objectives are fully met.

The IFs platform is a general platform and thus cannot capture the specific enablers for a Bioeconomy. So strategy development should use the result as starting point.

Also, a strong bioeconomy does not necessarily mean that development objectives are fully met. A bioeconomy strategy should be part of package of strategy to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.

While Bioeconomy is increasingly gaining attention, many countries have proposed strategies the analysis tends to be qualitative. No quantitative simulation of this new economic pathways has yet been conducted in East Africa. The IFs platform is a general simulation platform; therefore, the parameters available in the model cannot fully capture what Bioeconomy is. This analysis needs to be supplemented by a qualitative scenarios analysis.

This article explores the potential of an emerging group of farmers in Kenya, namely the growing segment of urban-based medium-size farmers, often called “telephone farmers”. To what extent do they benefit from an emerging ecosystem to support them in operating their farms, and what does that mean for the Hidden middle of agricultural value chains, the actors between the farmers and consumers? Unlocking the potential production of telephone farmers will require more services from collectors, traders, transport firms, the storage facilities, wholesalers and processing units and retailers. Ultimately, optimized telephone farm production benefits the business of Hidden middle value chain actors, increases incomes and jobs and improves food security.

Based on a survey and in-depth interviews a profile of the telephone farmers is given and their role as innovators is analyzed. The Latia Resource Centre (LRC) provides assistance to medium-size farmers, like the telephone farmers, helping them to prepare business plans and use modern technology and contributing to an emerging ecosystem providing support to all farmers.

The article analyzes the medium-size telephone farmers. It documents the contributions of this new agricultural actor to developing value chains and a dynamic ecosystem. The paper profiles the telephone farmers first and then identifies what they need and the support they receive. The emerging innovative ecosystem impacts agricultural productivity and production and hence the development of value chains. Small farmers gain access to opportunities offered by telephone farmers, working for them as outgrower or farm worker.

The authors used a small sample of 51 farmers and covered only a two-year period.

Small farmers are being helped through the emerging eco-system and farm labor acquire skills, which they can also you on another or their own farm.

Based on the analysis an even more effective ecosystem is suggested and policy recommendations are formulated before the conclusion is drawn that these medium-size farmers contribute to innovation diffusion, inclusive value chain development and food security and are becoming part of this expanding, innovative ecosystem. Following the debate on food security the results suggest to pay more attention to the development of telephone farmers given their role in developing agricultural value chains and innovative ecosystems.

The aim of this paper is to better understand the good news coming from Africa and reflect on ideas discussed at the “Africa 2060: Good News from Africa” conference in April 2010 organized by Boston University's Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer‐Range Future.

Africa's performance over the last 50 years has been akin to a roller coaster ride of good news followed by bad news, with the bad news dominating. However since the dawn of the millennium Africa's outlook has increasingly become optimistic. As one looks at Africa's future, several questions emerge: which of these gains can be consolidated? Which of the positive trends will be sustained? Has this recent period of global attention provided the continent with a real institutional scaffolding on which a positive future can be built? And what needs to be done to ensure that the dangers of chronic poverty, conflict, and institutional collapse that still lurk in the shadows will be contained long enough that they eventually disappear?

The authors base their observations on the intense discussions during the conference by practitioners and experts and an engaged and informed audience, plus a broader reading of the literature, including that which was presented at the conference. These observations reflect a locus of expert and informed opinion and provide a window into the priorities that are engaging the imaginations of those thinking deep and hard about Africa's future. The authors distill seven key drivers that are of particular importance in shaping Africa's longer‐range future. Of course, all of these can operate in either a positive or a negative direction. It is the decisions that will be made by African and international policy‐makers, businesses, civic organizations, and citizens today that will determine which direction Africa will be “driven” towards tomorrow.

There are a number of exciting opportunities that await Africa in its future, but many of these also come with potential hurdles and pitfalls. Innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, knowledge, and globalization are among the areas that have generated significant good news to record from Africa. But within each of these areas there is also the potential and reality of bad news. The choice now lies with African citizens, decision makers and societies as to whether they are able to make the type of decisions that will control the negative tendencies of these drivers and accelerate the positive tendencies.

This editorial aims to summarize the outcome of the Special Issue exploration on the theme “Is Africa the land of the future?”.

The paper contextualises and synthesizes the set of Africa‐themed foresight papers included in the journal issue.

The exploration concludes that Africa faces a range of internal and external opportunities and challenges. These are historical, geopolitical, economic, demographic, psychological, and intellectual. Key drivers and analyses identified by seven authors are briefly presented.

The restricted number of papers that could be included in the single issue required a narrow selection from a large set of good papers and subject coverage. The issue and editorial therefore only address a few of the key drivers, in addition to some broad, foundational issues.

Neither mere optimism nor pessimism will determine Africa's ultimate trajectory. Concerted ownership, foresight and collective action by Africa's leaders and followers are the key to positive futures for the continent.

The Special Issue is a unique contemporary African foresight contribution, which aims to provide a deeper understanding of the emerging challenges and opportunities for the continent.