Sustainable resource use critical to South Africa’s biodiversity future, says DFFE

South Africa's biodiversity is under significant threat, with over a million species globally facing extinction. This was the stark reality discussed during a webinar on December 7, centred on Target 5 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF).

The event, hosted by the South African Youth Biodiversity Network (SAYBN), underscored the urgent need to ensure sustainable resource use, safe harvesting, and legal trade of wildspecies.

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) spokesperson Malta Qwathekana highlighted the critical overlap between global conservation goals and South Africa’s national biodiversity strategies.

Speaking on Target 5, Qwathekana explained that it aims to "prevent over exploitation, minimise impacts on non-target species and ecosystems, and reduce the risk of pathogen spillover.

"Qwathekana pointed to the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) of 2004 as a cornerstone of South Africa’s legal framework. The Act requires permits forbio prospecting involving indigenous biological resources, ensuring compliance with global standards.

She added that strategies like the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy and the White Paperon Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biodiversity are key tools to balance resource use with conservation.

The Game Meat Strategy also received attention for its role in supporting sustainable livelihoods within the biodiversity economy. "The effective implementation of these frameworks is essential to both conservation and economic development," noted Qwathekana.

A major focus of the discussion was the role of governance. Qwathekana detailed plans to strengthen the national permit system, aligned with international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol. These tools aim to ensure the legality of wild species trade while fostering sustainable practices.

The presentation also addressed the socio-economic dimension of biodiversity conservation.

Customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities remains a priority, with strategies in place to incorporate their traditional knowledge into resource management.

Youth engagement was a recurring theme, with a strong call for capacity building to empower young people to drive local biodiversity initiatives. The webinar emphasised the need for grassroots efforts, such as wild species nurseries and animal rehabilitation centres, to educate communities about sustainable practices.

With South Africa's natural heritage increasingly at risk, the DFFE’s comprehensive approach offers a roadmap for preserving biodiversity while fostering economic resilience. The session concluded with a call for collective action to align national efforts with global conservation priorities.

IOL