Institute of Biodiversity Conservation

Extracted from Ethiopia’s 4th Country Report on the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Final Country Report was submitted to CBD Secretariat on 6 Nov. 2009.

Background

In accordance with Article 26 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Decision VIII/14 of the Conference of Parties (COP), the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC), together with other stakeholders has prepared Ethiopia’s Fourth National Report on the Implementation of the CBD in Ethiopia. The report has been prepared according to the guidelines for the 4th national report and contains five parts:

• Status of, trends in and threats to biodiversity;
• The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) implementation;
• Biodiversity integration into other sectors or Mainstreaming Biodiversity;
• Progress towards the 2010 targets and implementation of the Strategic Plan; and
• The Strategic Plan of the Convention, and Appendices.

Biodiversity Status, Trends and Threats

The rich biodiversity of the country is under serious threat from deforestation and land degradation, overexploitation, overgrazing, habitat loss, invasive species and some water pollution. The underlying causes for these problems emanate from poverty, population growth, lack of alternative livelihoods, inadequate policy support, inappropriate investment and inadequacy of law enforcement. A number of endemic wild animals, birds, trees and herbaceous plants are reported to be endangered or critically endangered. Farmer’s varieties are being replaced by uniform improved varieties, and livestock breeds are also similarly threatened through cross-breeding with exotic breeds. Resettlements and agricultural investment in commercial crop farms are aslo exerting pressure on the country’s precious biodiversity.

Efforts to save some of the wildlife and the vegetation by a number of government institutions, NGOs and public-private partnership initiatives are being made and progress is being achieved. To cite some examples, the conservation status of the Walia ibex has improved from being critically endangered to endangered while on sites where area closure has been applied, rehabilitation of the land has occured and restoration of species which were on the point of local extinction have been reverted. It appears that soil seed banks are still rich even in the most denuded and degraded areas, and protection alone can result in sizeable recovery. Such success stories show that active conservation programs can revive the biodiversity; however, these alone are far from adequate in the face of the alarming magnitude of the threats.

Implementation of the National Biodervisty Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP)

Cognizant of the problems and in order to discharge its commitment as a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ethiopia has developed a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The objectives of this strategy include:

• Conserving representative examples of Ethiopia’s remaining ecosystems through a network of effectively managed protected areas;
• Having all remaining natural ecosystems outside of the protected areas under sustainable use and management by 2020;
• Sharing equitably the costs of conserving and benefits from the sustainable use of biodiversity; and
• Conserving the rich agro-biodiversity of Ethiopia effectively through complementing in situ and ex situ conservation programs;

Though the process of preparing the Strategy and Action Plan had been participatory, adequate familiarization of it at the grass-root level, the provision of training and follow-up on whether the stakeholder institutions are using the document as a roadmap, has not been effectively carried out. The NBSAP is a vital strategic document that should guide biodiversity conservation, sustainable utilization, as well as access and benefit sharing. Nonetheless, none of the stakeholders, including the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC), which is the focal point institution, have used it as a governing guide to undertake development, research and conservation activities. The Institute of Biodiveristy Conservation (IBC) needs to work aggressively in the coordination and monitoring of the implementation of the Strategy. There are fragmented efforts by institutions at federal and regional levels, one way or the other, to address the problem through biodiversity conservation related projects/activities, which reflect the NBSAP.

Biodiversity Integration and Mainstreaming

Sectoral and cross-sectoral integration of concerns for biodiversity is crucial for the effective conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources. Beyond the sectors that directly deal with biodiversity and environmental issues, there are many other sectors in the country that are supposed to, but that have failed, to integrate biodiversity issues into their strategies and programs. Some of those that have failed include; the health, mining, investment, tourism, and trade and industry sectors. Although many of these sectors are considered as key stakeholders and actors for mainstreaming the NBSAP, their achievements with regard to the integration of concerns for biodiversity are far from adequate. However, some of the research and education sectors are striving to address biodiversity in their programs. In regards to the higher learning institutions, biodiversity related aspects are addressed by designing full courses or by incorporating it as chapter(s) in courses.

There is some progress in mainstreaming appreciation of biodiversity which, to some extent, can be attributed to the NBSAP. Some of the regional states (e.g. Southern Nations, Nationalities and People (SNNP) and Tigray Regions) have taken crucial steps towards assigning experts to oversee the conservation of biodiversity. Mainstreaming in the education sector, particularly in higher education, is an area where substantial progress has been achieved. Curricula in agricultural and natural sciences are incorporating biodiversity both at undergraduate and graduate levels. Topics related to biodiversity constitute a considerable component of the overall research in higher learning institutions. Substantial information has been generated from these research activities. What is lacking is making optimal use of this information and building on the results of such research. Although not adequate, raising public awareness through the use of the media and the celebration of the “Biodiversity Day” is being used to bring the message to the grass-roots level.

Progress towards the 2010 Targets and Implementation of the Strategic Plan

Ethiopia has taken a number of fundamental measures after the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The upgrading of the former Plant Genetic Resources Center to the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (IBC), the development of a National Policy on the Conservation and Research of Biological Resources and a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAP), the enactment of Access and Benefit Sharing, Breeders Rights and the Protection of Indigenous Knowledge laws are manifestations of the country’s commitment to the implementation of the Convention.

Some positive progress has thus been made in the implementation of the Convention, including:

• Improvements in the conservation status and trends of some endemic mammals
• A slight increase in the number and size of protected areas;
• The conclusion of “Access and Benefit Sharing Agreements” for Eragrostis teff and Vernonia galamensis.
• Field gene banks of endangered forest, medicinal, and forage and pasture plant species have been established and are expanding;
• The implementation of area closures, particularly in northern Ethiopia, resulting in the restoration of some locally extinct fauna and flora; and
• The Ethiopian 3rd Millennium initiative that resulted in the planting of about 1.6 billion tree seedlings in degraded areas and areas designated for Millennium Parks in many localities.

The implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Convention and the achieving the 2010 Biodiversity Targets are still inadequate: they have not been adopted as national targets in a way that can change implementation at the grass-roots level.

You can read about CBD Country Reports and download the full CBD 4th Country Report, Ethiopia Document Here (6MB)

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