ABS in Africa: realities, opportunities, challenges and constraints ABS Business Dialogue hosted by ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa Kwalata Lodge, 7-9 October 2009 Pierre du Plessis CRIAA SA-DC Namibia

Cradle of humankind ~900 million people ~900 million people ~3%/a population growth ~3%/a population growth ~3%/a deforestation rate ~3%/a deforestation rate ~70% of livelihoods depend on BD ~70% of livelihoods depend on BD Worlds highest poverty rates Worlds highest poverty rates Rapid urbanisation, rural linkages persist Rapid urbanisation, rural linkages persist Rising material expectations/aspirations Rising material expectations/aspirations Conservation crises in many areas Conservation crises in many areas

The Big Five plus… Worlds 2 nd largest rainforest Worlds 2 nd largest rainforest Worlds oldest deserts Worlds oldest deserts Extreme environments, weird metabolism Extreme environments, weird metabolism Cape floral kingdom (high speciation) Cape floral kingdom (high speciation) Two centres of domestication Two centres of domestication Humans and BD co-evolved Humans and BD co-evolved High levels of valuable TK High levels of valuable TK Persistence of traditional lifestyles Persistence of traditional lifestyles

Scrambled Africa Colonialism and slave trade Colonialism and slave trade Berlin Conference: arbitrary borders cutting through ecosystems and peoples Berlin Conference: arbitrary borders cutting through ecosystems and peoples Rush to Independence: weak institutions Rush to Independence: weak institutions OAU accepts colonial borders to avert war OAU accepts colonial borders to avert war Rise of multi-ethnic nation states Rise of multi-ethnic nation states Strong men needed – apply here Strong men needed – apply here Opportunities for corruption (Cold War) Opportunities for corruption (Cold War)

Get those minerals out Physical infrastructure designed for resource extraction (railroads to ports) Physical infrastructure designed for resource extraction (railroads to ports) Raw materials out, trade goods in – little local value-adding Raw materials out, trade goods in – little local value-adding Captive markets for colonial products Captive markets for colonial products Weak internal linkages and trade Weak internal linkages and trade Foreign management, local labour Foreign management, local labour Neo-colonial divide and rule Neo-colonial divide and rule

Development priorities Economic growth and poverty alleviation: agriculture, mining, logging, fishing Economic growth and poverty alleviation: agriculture, mining, logging, fishing Some local benefaction of raw materials, but manufacturing still at basic level Some local benefaction of raw materials, but manufacturing still at basic level Tourism growing rapidly – conservation? Tourism growing rapidly – conservation? Human and financial resources allocated to existing sectors with growth potential Human and financial resources allocated to existing sectors with growth potential Obstacles to innovation Obstacles to innovation

ABS in Africa Lots of historic access, very little benefit Lots of historic access, very little benefit Hard to make economic case at home because of low impact Hard to make economic case at home because of low impact Other legislative and political priorities Other legislative and political priorities Very few countries have ABS laws Very few countries have ABS laws Low capacity to police compliance Low capacity to police compliance Suspicion and mistrust Suspicion and mistrust Extraction pays better than conservation Extraction pays better than conservation

On the bright side… Rise of modern communications Rise of modern communications More technical skills and capacity More technical skills and capacity Continental cooperation agenda Continental cooperation agenda Globalised economy, international trade Globalised economy, international trade Technology cheaper and more accessible Technology cheaper and more accessible Proof that benefit-sharing creates positive incentives for conservation Proof that benefit-sharing creates positive incentives for conservation Global sustainable development agenda Global sustainable development agenda

African Renaissance? CBD offered grand global bargain: Conserve your biodiversity and we will provide funding, technology and benefit- sharing for growing it into a sustainable green economy CBD offered grand global bargain: Conserve your biodiversity and we will provide funding, technology and benefit- sharing for growing it into a sustainable green economy Promises broken, bio-piracy still reigns Promises broken, bio-piracy still reigns Can Africa develop DIY green economy? Can Africa develop DIY green economy? IR on ABS potentiates partnerships IR on ABS potentiates partnerships

Benefits ($ and non-$) Effort/cost (relative to sector economics) Raw resource: - TK - BD mgmt - Supply chain Successful product: - Supply/demand - Time scale (sector) - Tech. needed - Process IP

Benefits ($ and non-$) Effort/cost (relative to sector economics) Raw resource: - TK - BD mgmt - Supply chain Successful product: - Supply/demand - Time scale (sector) - Tech. needed - Process IP Traditional usesBenefit-sharing Conservation RISK!!!

Lessons Success/failure ratio is key, but is also market driven (i.e. not 100% controlled) Success/failure ratio is key, but is also market driven (i.e. not 100% controlled) Simple but sound ABS measures can help to reduce costs and risks: = more R&D = better chance of success = more benefits to share Simple but sound ABS measures can help to reduce costs and risks: = more R&D = better chance of success = more benefits to share Simple ABS: One-stop, fast-track, easy to enforce, preferably exclusive and always CONFIDENTIAL Simple ABS: One-stop, fast-track, easy to enforce, preferably exclusive and always CONFIDENTIAL Access and Benefit-Sharing is essential but not sufficient; Risk-Sharing is required Access and Benefit-Sharing is essential but not sufficient; Risk-Sharing is required