How innovation led to a catnip plant-based mosquito repellent to fight malaria in eastern Africa

This policy brief examines the 'catnip project', an initiative supported by BioInnovate Africa to develop and commercialize plant-based mosquito repellents (soaps, sprays, and lotions) using locally grown catnip to combat malaria in eastern Africa. The document analyzes the project's innovation system, highlighting the success of local R&D and entrepreneurial activity while identifying systemic barriers to upscaling and commercialization in the region.

• The catnip project successfully developed an environmentally friendly malaria repellent based on local R&D, challenging the assumption that innovation in least-developed countries is primarily an imitation of developed nations. As of November 2024, these products were approved for commercial release and available on the market in Burundi, where Karire Products established a factory for large-scale production.
• The project's innovation system demonstrated strengths in entrepreneurial activity and legitimacy-building. Entrepreneur Ginette Karirekinyana convened a diverse group of scientists, government agencies, and social businesses, while the project gained local and governmental acceptance by creating jobs and involving women and smallholder farmers in production.
• Bio-innovation platforms and regional resources were critical for the project's technical and organizational success. BioInnovate Africa provided funding and linked public, market, and research actors, while the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) provided essential technical know-how on product formulation and the efficacy of the catnip plant extract.
• Significant systemic weaknesses hinder the transition from R&D to market in East Africa, specifically regarding the mobilization of financial resources, the lack of venture capital and affordable credit, and the absence of enabling policy and regulatory environments.
• A misalignment exists between the funding structures of public R&D and bilateral aid programs and the actual requirements of the innovation process. These programs often prioritize immediate, tangible results, which conflicts with the longer timelines necessary for successful innovation.
• The document identifies several critical gaps in the East African innovation ecosystem, including the weak capacity of academia and entrepreneurs to link with market actors, a lack of commercialization strategies to create market demand, and poor coordination between different government branches regarding regulations and funding.

APA

Ayoub, M., & Virgin, I. (2025). How innovation led to a catnip plant-based mosquito repellent to fight malaria in eastern Africa. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/185818/innovation-catnip-mosquito-repellent-malaria-eastern-africa.pdf

Chicago

Ayoub, Martina, and Ivar Virgin. How innovation led to a catnip plant-based mosquito repellent to fight malaria in eastern Africa. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2025. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/185818/innovation-catnip-mosquito-repellent-malaria-eastern-africa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ayoub |first1=Martina |last2=Virgin |first2=Ivar |title=How innovation led to a catnip plant-based mosquito repellent to fight malaria in eastern Africa |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=February 2025 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/185818/innovation-catnip-mosquito-repellent-malaria-eastern-africa.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ayoub2025how, author = {Ayoub, Martina and Virgin, Ivar}, title = {{How innovation led to a catnip plant-based mosquito repellent to fight malaria in eastern Africa}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/185818/innovation-catnip-mosquito-repellent-malaria-eastern-africa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }