Follow Us on Google
From Uche Usim, Abuja
Agriculture experts and plant scientists working with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and International Support Network for African Development (ISNAD-Africa) have raised the alarm over possible loss of 24,000 or 86 per cent of the 28,000 species of plants in the world to harmful agricultural activities.
The analysts, in a policy document released by ISNAD-Africa in partnership with WWF at the weekend, stated that if a strategic and corrective action plan is not immediately implemented, things could get worse as the rapidly-growing global population remains a huge threat to biodiversity in Africa.
Commenting on the development, the Executive Secretary, ISNAD-Africa, Adedoyin Adeleke, explained that while agriculture remained crucial to eradicating hunger and malnutrition globally as the sector generates a 32 per cent of gross domestic product and employing 65 percent of the population in sub Saharan Africa, its impacts on biodiversity loss remains worrisome and must not be downplayed.
He said: “The sector, coupled with the unprecedented population increase, is considered a huge contributor to biodiversity loss in Africa and across the globe. Forest and other ecosystems are being converted to agricultural land, thus constituting a threat to habitats and contributing to a reduction in the number and abundance of species”.
He added that the increasing demand for foods, fuels and fibre induced by the unprecedented growth of human population have stimulated the intensification of agriculture in Sub Saharan Africa.
To address the plethora of challenges, Adeleke noted that there was a need for the inclusion of 2030 milestones in the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Adedoyin emphasized that the plan must be communicable and define the outcomes of achievement that were needed before achieving reversal of biodiversity by 2030 and achieve the 2050 Vision.
He said there was need to complement the milestones provided in the first draft of the framework to ensure they help focus the attention and actions of key decision makers like stakeholders and sectors on what needs to be achieved by 2030.
“In order to avoid confusion, we need to be clear that while milestones focus on outcomes, all targets should focus on the transformative actions needed to achieve the 2030 Mission.
Alignment of future investment and development policies around the agreements that include the 2030 Milestones in the post 2020 GBF. These milestones need to be
S.M.A.R.T, easily communicable and define the outcomes we need to achieve by 2030 to reverse biodiversity loss and put the world on track to achieve the 2050 Vision.
“They are crucial to improve measurability of outcomes needed by 2030. We recommend that Parties refine and complement the milestones provided in the 1st draft GBF to ensure they help focus the attention and actions of key decision makers, stakeholders and sectors on what needs to be achieved by 2030.
