Economics and biological diversity : executive summary and guidelines for using incentives

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), home to 43% of the remaining 1,063 endangered mountain gorillas, faces growing threats from human activities. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) addressed two critical issues: (i) Preventing COVID-19 transmission among people and from people to gorillas through community and park frontline workers awareness, personal protective equipment, testing gorillas using non-invasive methods and people in close contact with gorillas, and rapid case response, ensuring no positive cases among gorillas; (ii) Tackling increased poaching caused by tourism loss and poverty by meeting urgent nutritional needs, promoting alternative livelihoods,  and supporting park patrols, which significantly reduced poaching and other illegal forest entries. This initiative was part of the IUCN Save Our Species African Wildlife program, co-funded by the European Union.

The Chimanimani Mountains KBA is found in Eastern Zimbabwe. It is one of the biodiversity rich areas of the country and is home to numerous endemic and threatened plants and bird species. Like many in Southern Africa, Chimanimani is faced with escalating threats from deforestation, fires and cyclones, endangering its rich biodiversity. A collaborative project by BirdLife Zimbabwe (BLZ) and TSURO Trust was aimed to address some of these challenges by balancing conservation needs and community livelihoods thereby fostering a connection between people and biodiversity. Targeting three adjacent communities of Chikukwa, Charlsewood-Tilbury and Ngangu, the initiative trained stakeholders and communities in biodiversity monitoring, sustainable livelihoods and agri-business management. It also established beekeeping projects, built two honey processing centres and conducted landscape restoration. The project directly improved livelihoods of over 120 households and enhanced capacity of local stakeholders in biodiversity management.

The Gola Forest National Park (GFNP) has seen an increase in the prevention of illicit activities due to the IUCN SOS program. Since the project’s inception, the following technical areas have seen growth in the capacity of Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL) field workers as well as local community members made up of Ecoguards: On September 20, 2016, the government of Liberia passed a bill officially designating 88,000 hectares of Liberia rain forest as the GFNP. It also passes the National Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management Act, meaning this area for which the Government of Liberia set aside is to be restricted from all illegal activities such as hunting, mining, trapping, pit sawing, farming, etc.

The IUCN SOS project, Protecting Vulnerable Species in the Gola Forest Landscape from the Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic, includes cross-border patrol efforts, Ecoguard patrols with Forestry Development Authority rangers in the Gola Forest National Park from the IUCN SOS project.

The 10% Fence Plan (FP) was designed for communities in the Wildlife Friendly Zone of Kamungi Conservancy, an area with dense wildlife and significant Human-Wildlife Conflict. 

This innovative model prevents crop raiding and livestock predation, enhancing food and property security. Under this plan, 10% of each individual’s land (ranging from 20-150 acres) is fenced with electrified “porcupine fences,” a common mitigation method in Kenya, enabling landowners to grow crops safely. 

The unfenced 90% remains accessible to smaller wildlife such as Dik-diks, impala, Lesser Kudu and benefiaries livestock, preserving migration corridors for elephants between Tsavo West National Park Triangle and Tsavo East National Park. 

This intervention promotes coexistence between wildlife and community members, food security -beneficiaries recording better crop harvests, and improved livelihoods. So far, Tsavo Trust and its partners have constructed 16 such fences, achieving 100% effectiveness in deterring elephants from cultivated lands.

The expansion and promotion of sustainable aquaculture represents an important approach to meeting a growing demand for fish, a source of protein and essential micronutrients to combat food insecurity.

As a solution, the Project Aquaculture Value Chain for Higher Income and Food Security in Malawi (AVCP), part of the GIZ Global Programme Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (GP Fish) provided technical training to small-scale fish producers. This included the use of an innovative and inexpensive fish trap to improve aquaculture production. 

Different trials confirmed the functionality and ease of use of the fish trap in context of small-scale aquaculture. The trap easily enabled households to harvest and consume fish from their own production more regularly without adversely affecting productivity.

The households can also sell part of the harvest to improve their cash flow whilst neighbors benefit from an improved fish supply. The innovation therefore acts as a convenient with an effective contribution to food security.

In Mozambique, the struggle for sustainable development is closely linked to protecting vital ecosystems like mangroves, which are crucial for coastal livelihoods and climate resilience. Despite their clear importance, challenges such as limited access to long-term funding, lack of public awareness, and poor governance have hindered effective conservation. To address these, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), through Safe Our Mangroves Now! (SOMN), has led a transformative environmental policy approach. In response to global biodiversity and climate goals, Mozambique aims to protect 30% of terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030. This goal is part of the National Territorial Development Plan (PNDT) for 2020-2040, which aims for a “prosperous, competitive, sustainable, and inclusive Mozambique.” The PNDT serves as a comprehensive framework and includes critical efforts such as mangrove mapping and the approval of a Mangrove Implementation Strategy, which are essential for preserving these ecosystems.