About the African Wildlife Economy Institute
Established in 2018, the African Wildlife Economy Institute (AWEI) is a leading think-do-tank within the Faculty of AgriSciences at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. We are dedicated to advancing research, policy, and practice that support an inclusive and sustainable wildlife economy across Africa.
A wildlife-based economy means that part of the sector of the economy that uses marine and terrestrial wildlife as an economic asset to create value, which aligns with conservation objectives and delivers sustainable growth and economic development. The sustainable use of biodiversity within the wildlife-based economy may be both consumptive and non-consumptive.
(SADC, 2023)
The study of the wildlife economy is inherently multidisciplinary, drawing on animal sciences, business management, conservation ecology, economics, law, philosophy, and political science. Our academic mandate is to work across disciplinary units within Stellenbosch University and collaborate with universities, research institutes, and conservation organisations across Africa and beyond.
We see the wildlife economy as a way for African countries to attain key targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). AWEI's activities directly support the following targets on the use of wild species:
GBF Target 5: Ensure that the use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe, and legal, preventing overexploitation, minimizing impacts on non-target species and ecosystems, and reducing the risk of pathogen spill-over, applying the ecosystem approach, while respecting and protecting customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities.
GBF Target 9: Ensure that the management and use of wild species are sustainable, thereby providing social, economic, and environmental benefits for people, especially those in vulnerable situations and those most dependent on biodiversity, including through sustainable biodiversity-based activities, products and services that enhance biodiversity, and protecting and encouraging customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities.
Our work also supports other decisions under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on sustainable wildlife management. These include the following commitments from Decisions 14/7 and 15/23, respectively:
Further evaluate multidisciplinary approaches to combining better knowledge of the use of and trade in wildlife…
Promote the mainstreaming of the sustainable use of biodiversity, in particular that of wild species, into all relevant sectors…
AWEI's theory of change
Our work is grounded in the view that people and wildlife can both do well when local economies benefit from healthy ecosystems. Through thought leadership, purposeful partnerships, and collaborative learning, we aim to drive practical on-the-ground changes that improve livelihoods and strengthen conservation outcomes.
Through thought leadership, purposeful partnerships, and collaborative learning, we aim to enhance socio-ecological landscapes through the sustainable use of wildlife species. For more information on our theory of change, please see: AWEI's Impact.
Our thematic priorities
Our activities are shaped by the needs and priorities of the communities, governments, and organisations we work with. Each of our four priority themes contributes to measurable improvements in the management and use of wild species.
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Wild foods – We work to strengthen safe and sustainable supply chains for wild foods, helping countries expand legal trade and improve food security. This includes developing a wild meat trading app, supporting small-scale processing sites, improving hide use through local tanneries, and identifying barriers to continental trade. These efforts help reduce waste, improve market access, and create income opportunities linked to well-managed wildlife.
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Wild enterprise – We identify and support enterprise opportunities that allow communities to benefit directly from the use of wild species. Early assessments in frankincense landscapes in Somalia and northern Kenya highlighted the potential for new income streams that reward good management practices. Building on these insights, we are working with partners to design practical, field-based projects that strengthen small businesses and help keep value in local hands.
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Wild standards – We examine how standards and certification can support credible, legal, and sustainable trade in wild products. This includes exploring the use of FairWild and other schemes in African contexts, and assessing how similar approaches can be applied to hunting and game meat. By improving traceability and assurance, these tools help build trust in supply chains and support markets that reward good practice. Our work also considers how CITES processes contribute to these outcomes.
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Wild policy – We engage with policy processes that influence how wild species are used and managed across Africa. This includes international mechanisms such as the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), CITES, and IUCN guidance on sustainable use, as well as regional initiatives like the SADC wildlife-based economy framework. At the national level, we contribute to evolving policies in countries such as Kenya and South Africa. These efforts help align policy with on-the-ground needs and create conditions that support legal, sustainable, and benefits-driven use of wildlife.
Where we work
Office address
AWEI
Room 1028B
JS Marais Building
Victoria Street
Stellenbosch
Postal address
AWEI
Faculty of AgriSciences
Stellenbosch University
Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602
South Africa