The State of Gambia's Biodiversity for Food And
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COUNTRY REPORTS THE STATE OF GAMBIA’S BIODIVERSITY FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE This country report has been prepared by the national authorities as a contribution to the FAO publication, The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture. The report is being made available by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as requested by the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The information in this report has not been verified by FAO, and the content of this document is entirely the responsibility of the authors, and does not necessarily represent the views of FAO, or its Members. The designations employed and the presentation of material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA THE STATE OF THE GAMBIA BIODIVERSITY FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2015 I | PageI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY With its characteristic Sudan Savanna woodland vegetation, The Gambia has the following main ecosystem types: forest ecosystems (close & open woodland ecosystem), agricultural ecosystems (arable and rangeland ecosystems), marine and coastal ecosystems, inland water ecosystems (wetlands) and terrestrial ecosystems (tree/shrub savanna). The Gambia is endowed with a high diversity of plant and animal species. The components of biodiversity embrace the wild fauna and flora and associated ecosystems as well as the domestic species, including plant varieties and land races of domestic animals that have been bred and developed for thousands of years by farmers, as well as species that are dependent on the agricultural systems developed and maintained by humankind. The Gambia contains globally significant biodiversity. Although small in size, The Gambia harbors a wealth of terrestrial, coastal, marine and wetland habitats and species of local, national, regional and global significance. The coastal and marine environment is defined in the Gambian context as not only those areas that border the Atlantic but also those with brackish water that border the River Gambia, extending 200km inland. It is one of the areas identified as of particular importance in the GEAP and NBSAP. It is a natural resource rich area with particularly high biodiversity of national, regional and global environmental significance. The Gambia's biological resources are vital to the populations’ economic and social development. As a result, there is a growing recognition in the Gambia that, biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and future generations. At the same time, the threat to species and ecosystems has never been as great as it is today. Species extinction caused by human activities continues at an alarming rate. Recognizing the need to conserve its biological resources, the Government of the Gambia has made a commitment to conserve 10% of the land area and eventually hectares of coastal and marine habitats as conservation areas. The Gambia’s coastal and marine areas are under increasing pressure. A large proportion of the country’s population resides in coastal areas and depends upon them for their livelihoods. Population growth and in-migration as a result of disrupted rainfall patterns and land degradation in the hinterland translates into growing pressure on coastal and marine resources. Anthropogenic pressures arising from subsistence and small-scale economic exploitation include sand mining, fishing, clearing of forest and mangroves for fish-smoking, use as domestic fuel, arable crop production, and pastoralism. There is also evidence of significant pressure on species of global and regional concern such as nesting and migratory birds and marine turtles, the eggs of which are frequently collected; sharks, harvested for their fins; and manatees, hunted for meat, as well as growing conflicts between the population and species such as hippopotamus as the two are increasingly forced to depend upon the same resources for survival. The coast also is the primary tourism attraction of The The Gambia country report on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture 2 Gambia, which alongside other economic development initiatives is increasing development pressure in this zone. The FAO called upon country- Parties to develop to prepare the country report on Biodiversity for food and agriculture in the aim to compile a State of the World Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture (SOWBFA). The report was prepared with the active participation of key stakeholders’ in the area of Agriculture and Natural Resources sectors. Relevant government departments and agencies, Civil Society Organizations, the public sector were involved. The Gambia country report on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture 3 Table of contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _________________________________________________________ 2 ACKNOWLDGEMENTS _________________________________________________________ 5 ACRONYMS __________________________________________________________________ 6 Pathways and Spread of IAS ________________________________________________________ 23 61. LESSONS LEARNED _____________________________________________________________ 96 Current Institutional Set – up for collaboration _________________________________________ 98 Non- Government Organizations/ Autonomous Agencies _________________________________________ 99 External Development Partners _____________________________________________________________ 100 Central Government Agencies ______________________________________________________________ 105 2011-2020 Biodiversity Strategic Plan and Aichi Targets _________________________________ 105 Education ______________________________________________________________________________ 109 National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI): _______________________________________ 111 University of The Gambia: _________________________________________________________ 111 PRIORITIZATION OF ACTIONS AND TARGET AREAS _____________________________________ 115 Gambia Sustainable Investment Framework (GAMSIF) PLAN _____________________________ 116 Derivation of prioritization criteria __________________________________________________ 117 National Biodiversity Targets _______________________________________________________ 118 STRATEGIC GOALSAND TARGETS ____________________________________________________________ 119 TARGETS _______________________________________________________________________________ 119 The Gambia country report on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture 4 ACKNOWLDGEMENTS The State of the Gambian Biodiversity For Food and Agriculture report represent a collaborative effort, with a large number of contributors from all sectors and spheres of government, NGO’s as well as civil society. Funding was provided by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) with the coordination of the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management [DPWM]. The Department of Parks and Wildlife Management would like to express its appreciation for the help of various local experts, DPWM personnel as well as the CBD National Focal Point as the Coordinator of the exercise. The Directorate expresses its appreciation to FAO and specially to Julie Beranger for the facilitation role. The Gambia country report on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture 5 ACRONYMS ABS Access and Benefit Sharing AEWA African Eurasian Water Bird Agreement ANRWG Agricultural and Natural Resources working Group ATK Associated Traditional Knowledge BTF Biodiversity Trust Fund CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CFCs Community Forest Committees CITES Convention on trade of Endangered Species CMS Convention on Migratory Species CRR Central River Region CSO’s Civil Society Organizations DOF Department of Forestry DOFISH Department of Fisheries DLS Department of livestock services DPWM Department of Parks and Wildlife DWR Department of Water Resources EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone EIA Environment Impact Assessment EDF European Development Funds FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation GDP Gross Domestic Product GEAP Gambia Environment Action Plan GEF Global Environment Facility GOTG Government of the Gambia GR Genetic Resources IAS Invasive Alien Species ICAM Integrated Coastal Area Management ICCA’S Indigenous Community Conservation Areas IDB International Development Bank ITC International Trepanosaumiasis Center LRR Lower River Region MDGs Millennium Development Goals MEAs Multilateral Environment Agreements MOE Ministry of Energy MOECCWW Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Water and Wildlife MPA Marine Protected Areas The Gambia country report on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture 6 NAP National Adaptation Plan on Desertification NAPA National Adaptation Action Plan NARICA New Africa Rice NBR North Bank Region NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NEMA National Environmental Management Act NFA National Forest Assessment NGO Non Governmental Organisation NTFP Non Timber Forest Product PAs Protected Areas PAGE Programme for Accelerated Growth and Employment PPP Public Private Partnership SLM Sustainable Land Management SOER State of Environment Report TKs Traditional Knowledge’s TSN Technical Services network TVET Technical Vocational Education