An African account of ecosystem service provision: use, threats and policy options for sustainable livelihoods

Scientific work on ecosystem services has been growing globally and in Africa in particular. The dependence of humans on ecosystem services is mostly acknowledged in developing countries like those in Africa where many people are poor and reliant on natural resources. The reliance on natural resources in Africa varies from place to place and as aridity, vegetation and socio-economic conditions changes. In the humid and forested areas in the west and central parts of Africa, food and raw materials coupled with agriculture are important ecosystem services while in the dryer arid and semi-arid countries in southern and northern Africa, tourism, water and grazing are priorities. Over-exploitation of resources coupled with large scale agriculture threatens both ecosystem services and livelihoods. The need to safeguard ecosystem services is urgent. Ecosystem services have benefited from biodiversity conservation measures such as the establishment of protected areas. However realizing benefits to livelihoods still faces serious challenges due to climate change, recent land grabbing and urbanization. These challenges are compounded by the land tenure situation in Africa. Whilst clear policy goals have been established at both the international and national levels the implementation of such policies and the success of them leading to sustainable land management for delivery of ecosystem services remains a key challenge.

EGOH Benis Nchine;  O'FARRELL Patrick John;  CHAREF Aymen;  GURNEY Leigh;  KOELLNER Thomas;  ABI Henry;  MODY Egoh;  WILLEMEN Louise; 

2013-03-04

Elsevier

JRC74034

2212-0416,   

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041612000307,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC74034,   

10.1016/j.ecoser.2012.09.004,