24 Jul 2021



Poverty persists throughout Africa, but today prosperity is also everywhere on the rise. There is a growing middle class in every African country. The pressures on African wildlife and their habitats are increasingly coming not just from the poor, but also from the prosperous. Middle-class Africans are demanding more and higher quality food, clothing, and shelter. As well, there are increasing export opportunities for African commodities.

The continual increase in effective demand is encouraging land owners to farm more crops, ranch more livestock, and plant more commercial forests. As Africa develops and becomes more prosperous, how can wildlife compete with crops and cattle?

Will an economy based solely on wildlife viewing, as in Kenya, provide adequate returns to rural communities to encourage them to conserve wildlife? It appears not, as evidenced by the recent establishment of a wildlife utilisation taskforce by the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. Will a rural economy based on overseas hunters as in Tanzania and South Africa withstand changes in values and policies in traditional markets such Europe and the United States? Will the mainstreaming of wild meat consumption as in Namibia conserve or threaten its native species? What is the nexus between wildlife conservation and economic development?

The potential for sustainable and inclusive wildlife economies in Africa is significant, but there is much we need to learn. We need to understand what will work and will not. How can wildlife utilisation – tourism, hunting, meat, animal products, and so on – ensure that wildlife will be able to compete with crops and cattle and maintain its presence across African landscapes?

If Africa’s wildlife is to be conserved, it must be recognised and governed as the unique and valuable economic asset that it is, and it must be managed for the benefit of Africa’s people. Sustainable and inclusive wildlife economies are needed to align wildlife conservation with economic development in Africa. However, our knowledge of wildlife economies and what is required to enhance their contribution to economic development is limited.

In this regard, the African Wildlife Economy Institute (AWEI) is being established at Stellenbosch University with the aim of become the leading academic think tank in Africa for understanding how wildlife management, production, utilisation, and trade can support inclusive economic development in Africa. AWEI’s vision for the role of wildlife in Africa’s economic development is directly aligned with the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:

We envisage a world in which every country enjoys sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all.

A world in which consumption and production patterns and use of all natural resources – from air to land, from rivers, lakes and aquifers to oceans and seas – are sustainable.

It is also aligned with the IUCN World Conservation Strategy and its key objective:

to ensure the sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems (notably fish and other wildlife, forests and grazing lands), which support millions of rural communities as well as major industries.

In this regard, AWEI’s mission is to strengthen the governance of wildlife economies in Africa in support of both conservation and development. To accomplish this, it will develop and disseminate research on three core themes:

  • The ethical context of the wildlife economy. Values, beliefs and perceptions about the role of wildlife in society influence how we govern the conservation and sustainable utilisation of wildlife.

     
  • The governance of the wildlife economy. Policies, laws and regulations at the local, national, continental and international levels shape the way in which the wildlife economy functions and contributes to conservation and development.

     
  • The operations of the wildlife economy. The sustainability of the wildlife economy depends on well-functioning value chains in sectors such as tourism, hunting, and meat; and on effective systems of production management, product development, marketing, sales, and finance.

AWEI’s strategic programme will support this research framework through three core objectives:

  • Deepening knowledge of wildlife economies in Africa;

     
  • Disseminating knowledge of wildlife economics across Africa; and

     
  • Utilising knowledge to improve wildlife economy policies and practices.

New research will fill knowledge gaps. This research, as well as existing research, will be widely disseminated across Africa. Shared knowledge will then be used to engage and empower decision-makers in the public and private sectors. AWEI’s strategic programme will support the growth of wildlife economies that contribute to conservation and development.

For the remainder of 2021, work is beginning on establishing AWEI; identifying research fellows from across the continent; developing new research projects addressing critical issues of ethics, governance and functioning; and disseminating knowledge to key stakeholders. To do this and to establish a sound basis for moving forward, we need to mobilise resources. Your support for African research on African wildlife economies will be most welcome and appreciated.