Strategy for Managing Invasive Species in Africa 2021-2030

2020 — International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe); CAB International (CABI); International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and African Union (AU)

Invasive species destroy livelihoods, cause hunger, threaten the economic prosperity of entire countries and regions, and increase biodiversity loss. The increasing frequency of invasions of invasive species in Africa suggests that many countries lack adequate capacity to detect and implement management measures. To effectively address the invasive species menace in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a shift in strategy from a reactive to a more proactive intervention is urgently needed to be adopted based on the internationally recognised three-stage approach of prevention, early detection, and control.

A proactive, effective approach for managing invasive species in SSA will require: 1) stronger phytosanitary capacity and systems; 2) continent and nationwide surveillance, and integration of invasive species threats into national disaster response units; 3) interdisciplinary and cross border research to develop and deploy novel solutions; and 4) collaborative resource mobilisation, as well as crowd-sourcing and citizen science. This requires a systematic, coordinated, consolidated, proactive and sufficiently financed national, regional and international strategy to mitigate the threats from invasive species. Thus, a strategy for managing invasive species in SSA is vital, to ensure coordination and prioritisation of all relevant issues, as well as effective and continuous partnerships and dialogue among all stakeholders.