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The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) hosted the inaugural Biodiversity Economy and Investment Indaba at Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Gauteng from 25-27 March 2024, under the theme: Collective Action for Thriving Nature and People. The Indaba brought together a range of stakeholders in the biodiversity sector including government officials, traditional leaders and healers, academia, business, communities and youth structures.
The President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the Indaba on 26 March 2024, where he highlighted importance of transformation within the sector in order to grow employments opportunities. “Job creation must be at the centre of our efforts. As with our mineral resources, we cannot simply be mere exporters of raw materials so that jobs and industries can be created elsewhere,” said President Ramaphosa.
Cabinet recently noted the review of the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy (NBES), which formed a central part of discussions at the Indaba. The NBES aims to leverage the biodiversity economy to promote conservation, and species and ecosystems management. This strategy will also promote growth and transformation in the biodiversity sector.
The NBES is fully aligned with the goals of the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity which are Conservation, Sustainable Use, Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits and Transformation. “The revised National Biodiversity Economy Strategy is guided by both the Global Biodiversity Framework and our own White Paper and is intended to provide strong direction for the growth and transformation of the biodiversity-based economy in South Africa. It emphasises that a successful biodiversity economy must be linked to ecosystem restoration, as well as recognising the importance of ecological infrastructure. Balancing use of the benefits, services and values of biodiversity while sustaining these elements, will ensure that both nature and people thrive in a sustainable way,” said Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy.
The Indaba was a blend of a conference format, networking session and exhibitions. The objectives included, among others, mainstreaming the biodiversity economy imperatives across all four goals of the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity, and the sector’s contribution to addressing poverty, unemployment and inequality; mobilising investment for the biodiversity sector and associated value-chains as well as showcasing market ready biodiversity products and services from across the biodiversity economy value chains through exhibitions for business-to-business trading, networking and sustainable partnerships.
The exhibitions included biotrade/bioprospecting, wildlife economy, eco-tourism, forestry, fisheries, ocean and coast and marine tourism.
Brief overview of the SA Biodiversity Sector
South Africa has exceptional biodiversity, much of which is unique and makes us one of the World’s like-minded megadiverse countries. This biodiversity wealth gives people tangible benefits like food, clean water, medicine, and materials. It supports agricultural and fisheries production and helps protect us from natural hazards such as droughts and floods; and provides a vibrant tourism industry while offering natural spaces for recreational, spiritual, and cultural activities.
SA’s economy is dependent on this biodiversity. For example, biodiversity-based tourism generates R31 billion in the economy annually, and our almost 2000 medicinal plant species contribute to the African medicinal sector approximately of more than R3 billion per year. The sector supports many jobs across a range of sectors. As of 2018, the sector has been maintaining over 418 000 sustainable jobs. Many of these jobs are created in rural areas, providing an opportunity for contributing to the rural economy.
Whilst protected areas are providing good refuge for species and ecosystems, our biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate. Thus, there’s more work to be done to ensure that this rich endowment is conserved for the benefit of all South Africans and future generations.
For more information on the Biodiversity Economy and Investment Indaba, visit https://www.dffe.gov.za/events/beii2024
This post and content is sponsored, written and produced by The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
