Dynamics of biosciences regulation and opportunities for biosciences innovation in Africa: Exploring regulatory policy brokering

Knowledge brokering has been explored in the innovation literature to understand how different innovation tasks are organised toward technological development. This paper reflects upon the role of different organisations as knowledge brokers in regulatory policy processes towards putting biosciences research into use. It identifies a practical function-based typology that describes four categories of policy brokers who perform different tasks, with the potential to impact biosciences regulatory policy change. The paper concludes with a brief exploration of how policy can support the different functions of regulatory policy brokerage to enhance the translation of biosciences research into use for the benefit of the poor. Using regulatory policy-making in Kenya as an example, it contributes to growing scholarship that seeks to link knowledge emanating from research with policy-making and economic development, particularly in an African context.

Key Words: Biosciences, Biotechnology Regulation, Knowledge Brokers, Policy Brokering, Africa, Kenya

JEL Codes: L26, L31, L33, N5, N57, O13, O19, O31, O32, O33, O34, O55, P48, Q12, Q13, Q16, Q28