The development of a Regional Biodiversity Strategy (RBS) is one of the three expected outputs of the SADC Biodiversity Support Programme. The rationale for the Strategy is that the SADC region is rich in biological resources, some of which have global significance. Most biodiversity issues in the region transcend national boundaries. In addition, a few species of mammals, birds, butterflies and fish exhibit trans-boundary migration patterns. Over 50% of the Gross Domestic Product of SADC Member States comes from primary sectors of production such as agriculture, mining, forestry and wildlife. Furthermore, between 40% and 85% of their citizens live in rural areas where they depend on natural resources for survival. This scenario underlines the overriding importance of biological resources in southern Africa.

However, although the region is endowed with natural resources, it is characterized by high levels of poverty that emanate from its inability to effectively transform this biological capital into goods and services for social and economic development and poverty eradication.

Furthermore, SADC is facing serious environmental challenges and threats largely originating from increasing human population relative to resource availability; agricultural expansion coupled with declining land productivity; continued reliance on wood fuel wood; increasing land degradation; and climate change. Even more dominant is the continuing erosion of human capacity due to HIV/AIDS reliance on wood fuel increasing land degradation; and climate change. Also very prominent is the continuing erosion of human capacity due to HIV/AIDS and the resultant inability of Member States to effectively address the foregoing challenges. These factors are leading to the loss of biological resources and ecological processes in the region.

The purpose of the RBS is therefore to provide a framework for regional cooperation in biodiversity issues that transcend national boundaries, and to stimulate the combined and synergistic efforts by the 13 SADC Member States and their communities in biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use.

The Strategy recognizes that the restoration, maintenance and/or enhancement of biodiversity is not an end in itself, but a means to contribute towards the achievement of SADC’s goals of social and economic development and poverty eradication as embedded in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development NEPAD), and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

To download the full strategy document click the link below:

Regional Biodiversity Strategy-English (pdf) (1.07mb)