Groundwater represents a significant under-exploited water resource, but as an initial priority there is a need to substantially improve the information base regarding this resource. With 63 shared river basins, Africa is strongly urged to engage in effective integrated water resources management for the better protection of catchments and increased intra-basin cooperation for equitable use of limited water resources.
Many of Africa’s fisheries, both inland and marine, face overexploitation from illegal, under-reported and unregulated fishing. Aquaculture holds great promise for exploiting this potentially sustainable source of protein, but it is a necessary pre-requisite to take biodiversity and other environmental implications into account when promoting this industry.
Regarded as Africa’s most valued asset, land is a critical resource for all aspects of life and development. However it faces new challenges from changing use practices, including urbanization, mining, deforestation, agricultural expansion and infrastructure development. Sustainable land management practices are needed to reconcile the diverse uses of this resource.
The region has six of the world’s top ten countries experiencing rapid urbanization, and as a consequence faces far reaching changes in settlement patterns in the years ahead. The movement of an estimated 450 million people from rural to urban areas by 2050 will place enormous strains on urban institutions, infrastructure, and financial and other resources, while also exacting huge demands on land for settlement. Combatting this challenge will require good spatial planning at all levels of government to ensure that cities have the capacity to cope with growing populations. Making rural areas more attractive to the youth through investment in rural development is another important intervention.
Africa has 60 per cent of the world’s unconverted arable land, indicating a great potential for investment in food production on a massive scale, which if realized could enable
the region not only meet its own food needs, but also export globally. Unlocking this potential represents an important challenge, particularly bearing in mind other competing land uses, including for pasture and cultural values. Currently, land productivity remains low in the region; a result of mineral poor soils and land degradation caused by inappropriate farming practices, deforestation, mining activities, and desertification. Africa is therefore called upon to embrace the Comprehensive
Africa Agriculture Development
Programme and its associated technologies for irrigation and fertilizer use, whilst nurturing the continent’s agro- biodiversity and agro-ecological knowledge, to result in higher yields per unit area.
A further issue of concern is poorly defined land tenure arrangements. Securing land tenure for both women and men will ensure Africa’s land capital is both valued and protected. Africa is therefore urged to develop best practice guidance regarding tenure arrangements and processes, and institute appropriate legislative and administrative reforms to ensure that meaningful progress is made towards achieving a land market built on a range of secure tenure options and increased land productivity.
Africa’s rich biodiversity has been a basis for ecosystems services including food, clean water and air. However, this critically important natural capital faces significant threats from illegal
trade
water pollution, forest loss, climate change, and increased prevalence of invasive alien species.
biodiversity and human health and wellbeing is increasingly better understood, but further research is required, especially with regard to zoonoses.
The weak valuation of biodiversity as an asset for economic development contributes to weak conservation efforts and undermines its importance to agriculture, for example in protecting pollinators and maintaining diversity to adapt to climate change. It is recommended that Member States actively include a system of factoring biodiversity and ecosystem services into national accounting systems. Africa should also ensure that the African Union strategy on illegal
7
in wildlife, mono-cropping, air and The link between
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