Conservation Must Be Recognized as a Driver of Progress

Africa's rich biodiversity provides essential services for people and wildlife and is crucial for its economic development. To unlock its full potential, Africa must build vibrant economies that recognize the value of nature, creating “biodiversity economies.” This concept goes beyond ecotourism, although tourism can be a powerful driver of progress. Rwanda’s integration of gorilla-based tourism into national planning, contributing an estimated 10% to the country’s GDP, exemplifies this potential. However, biodiversity economies include more than tourism. They encompass businesses linked to wildlife, sustainable forestry, bioprospecting, wild-harvested products, agriculture, and ecosystem services, all contributing to economic growth while allowing natural systems to thrive.

Protecting Africa’s natural heritage is crucial for the continent’s economic future. Integrating natural assets into growth strategies is essential for the long-term well-being of Africa’s people and wildlife. It has been demonstrated conservation can generate employment, alleviate poverty, and drive progress at all levels of society. Moreover, biodiversity-based sectors such as fisheries, forestry, and hunting, alongside non-consumptive tourism, generate significant benefits and revenues. However, the potential of other avenues like non-timber forest products (NTFPs), wildlife research, wildlife filming, payments for ecosystem services, and carbon credits remains largely untapped due to the lack of a systematic approach for scalability and growth.

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) champions investment in biodiversity economies as a key economic sector. While biodiversity-based economic activities are not new, a sectorial approach to these economies is both promising and overdue. AWF recognizes Africa’s unique ecosystems as a wellspring of opportunity, promoting sustainable practices that sustain livelihoods and empower communities. This mutually beneficial approach fosters a sense of ownership and environmental responsibility, turning people into stewards of their land and wildlife.

Building biodiversity economies entails tapping nature's economic potential while preserving its intrinsic value. We can generate long-term income for local communities, as well as local and national governments, by converting natural assets into economically viable enterprises. This necessitates a shift in attitude, acknowledging that biodiversity is more than just an environmental asset; it is also a rich economic resource capable of driving development and improving livelihoods. By deliberately leveraging nature's advantages, we can establish a virtuous cycle in which thriving ecosystems support thriving economies and vice versa.

We explore examples from Rwanda and Zimbabwe where AWF partners with communities and governments to explore biodiversity economies.

Rwanda

Community-based conservation has fueled both conservation and economic growth. In 2007, AWF pioneered the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, a community-owned eco-tourism venture. This initiative supports mountain gorilla conservation while improving local livelihoods. The lodge’s substantial revenue has directly benefited the community and incentivized gorilla protection. With the gorilla population now exceeding 1,000 in the Virunga Massif, this model proves the power of community-led conservation and sustainable tourism. Mountain gorilla tourism in Rwanda has become a cornerstone of the economy, providing opportunities for local communities. Rwanda’s approach is an example of how protecting biodiversity and improving people’s lives can go hand in hand. Through a robust Tourism Revenue Sharing Program (TRSP), it shares 10% of tourism revenues with poor and disadvantaged groups close to protected areas, while 5% of tourism revenues are devoted to a fund to prevent human-wildlife conflict.

Zimbabwe

AWF partnered with the Ministry of Environment to develop the Zimbabwe Biodiversity Economy (ZBE) report. The ZBE report reveals the substantial economic value of Zimbabwe’s biodiversity. Nature-based tourism, which accounted for nearly 70% of total tourism receipts in 2019, had a significant impact on jobs and GDP. Additionally, untapped potential exists in non-timber forest products (NTFPs), which could generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually when commercialized. This comprehensive assessment outlines a roadmap for Zimbabwe to achieve economic growth while safeguarding its natural heritage. Through this initiative, AWF has demonstrated the economic potential of biodiversity economies and provides an opportunity to influence policy and investment decisions. It positions Zimbabwe as a pioneering model for developing a biodiversity economy replicable across Africa. Other countries, such as Sierra Leone and Mozambique, have approached AWF as a partner in developing similar analyses for their respective economies.

AWF has also demonstrated how small businesses can thrive within biodiversity economies. In Muzarabani, Zimbabwe, AWF partnered with local youth to sustainably manage and utilize non-timber products like the ilala palm, traditionally used for creating brooms, baskets, and mats. Entrepreneurs such as Tuksoti Muringai and Philmon Mativenga now earn substantial incomes from selling ilala brooms and investing in their families and communities, thanks to support from SIDA, DANIDA, and private donors.

According to Edwin Tambara, Director of Global Leadership at AWF, numerous countries have enacted policies to engage communities in conservation efforts. Examples include Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programs in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania, as well as conservancies in Kenya and Namibia.

“These initiatives have created opportunities for communities to directly support their livelihoods from conservation, especially within the burgeoning biodiversity economy, particularly in sectors like tourism,” he asserts. “This shift has elevated communities from passive beneficiaries, often limited to performing for visitors, to active participants and owners in the tourism industry.”

Recognizing conservation as a driver of progress and integrating biodiversity economies into development strategies are critical for Africa’s sustainable growth. By doing so, we can ensure the long-term well-being of Africa’s people and wildlife, creating a harmonious balance between conservation and development.