GEO-6 for Youth: Africa
Mohamed Hazem Abd El-Aziz
Transforming African Important Bird Areas into economic opportunity areas for youth
The African continent hosts over 1,300 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) which cumulatively cover an area of approximately 2 million km2
(“Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA) - Africa |
BirdLife,” n.d.). IBA’s wide ranging ecosystem services directly and indirectly benefit both local communities and the broader global community. According to Birdlife Data Zone, approximately 60 gigatons of carbon found in below and above ground vegetation is stored in the global network of IBAs, with some of this carbon stored in forests. Thus, these areas play a significant role in carbon storage and climate change mitigation. Many of the bird species in these areas, are, however, under threat, which underscores the need for IBAs to be conserved consistently.
Two herons from Faiyum, Egypt
Ecosystem services within IBAs, include wild goods, cultivated goods and water-related services (Akwany 2015). Wild goods such as fodder and papyrus can provide livelihood when combined
with skilled youth labour and indigenous knowledge. Young and creative Africans can become entrepreneurs by opening and registering cottage industries, co-operatives and NGOs, that would convert goods like fodder and papyrus into economically valuable products such as livestock feeds, mats, thatching material and making furniture for households. Many IBA provide significant ecosystem services which include water, crop production, fishing, wild goods, firewood, recreational services and global climate control (carbon storage).
In addition to providing livelihood options, it is important to take a closer look at bird conservation, a key topic in African biodiversity conservation. Birds are of paramount importance to a variety of production and conservation sectors, including agriculture (pollination and pest control), environmental and wildlife management (game viewing, hunting, monitoring), conservation, and research.
Avian tourism contributes tremendously towards the economy in IBAs, especially since researchers and birdwatchers are more interested in conducting their professional and aesthetic activities around IBAs. If harnessed well, these bird hotspots can be transformed into economic hubs more especially for youth, creating job and entrepreneurship opportunities. With strategic and holistic thinking, local communities and entrepreneurial young people can benefit from these services. According to Birdlife International (2019), IBAs support the livelihoods and wellbeing of local communities. The premises of the IBA can be used for recreational purposes for tourists, where young and skilled community members teach tourists about the traditions and customs of Africa and also form organizations which facilitate income generating bird walks, and bird clubs for tourists.
Despite the opportunities, there remain great challenges and threats to avian fauna. These threats include electrocutions, railway roads collisions, and other human threats (over-harvesting; illegal trade; poisoning; degradation of breeding and nesting sites; and medicinal use). These contravene a myriad of wildlife conventions domesticated in national policies including the Convention on Biodiversity, the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), and the Ramsar convention (Schildkrout 1996). Youth can therefore be part of the solution by forming collaborations with policymakers to influence decisions within the IBA, as advocated by Birdlife International from the regional to the global level. Through awareness creation, bird guides and toolkits that focus on transformation of IBA into economic hubs, as opposed to conservation hubs, can offer a win-win solution. Youth can implement the Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based assessment (TESSA) and National IBA Conservation Strategies (NIBACS) to assess ecosystem services within IBA. Youth should strive to consult with national entities, Birdlife International, and other stakeholders of entrepreneurship to implement successfully inductive economic markets within the bird hotspots.
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