Nature-based solutions in the savanna belt of Africa: Insights from a systematic review
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are powerful tools whereby, using nature as the template, societal challenges can be addressed, while simultaneously achieving co-benefits for the environment. NbS have been successfully demonstrated in different ecosystems around the globe, but for savanna ecosystems -...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Nature-Based Solutions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772411524000454 |
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| Summary: | Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are powerful tools whereby, using nature as the template, societal challenges can be addressed, while simultaneously achieving co-benefits for the environment. NbS have been successfully demonstrated in different ecosystems around the globe, but for savanna ecosystems - the planet's largest terrestrial biome - there is a lingering lack of clarity of what constitutes an NbS. We undertook a systematic review of literature in the savanna belt of Africa - stretching from Senegal to Tanzania. This review examined 3,714 journal articles from 2018 to 2022, out of which 271 papers met the inclusion criteria. Results show that there are a wide variety of nature-based techniques and strategies being used in the savanna-belt. Yet upon greater scrutiny, few qualified as NbS according to the IUCN criteria. Less than 2 % of papers met all the criteria, falling short in the areas of biodiversity gains, economic viability, governance processes, trade-offs, and adaptive management. The geographical and sectoral scopes of these solutions were also limited: 72 % of papers were from just 5 countries, and 80 % were from the agriculture/livestock sectors. Notably, 5 % involved creation of new ecosystems. Author collaborations between countries of the global south with savanna ecosystems were few. Our findings suggest research silos in NbS discourses: the peer-reviewed literature revolves around smallholder farming in just a few countries, where the research is generally driven by the global north. These factors prevent NbS from becoming truly transformational in addressing societal challenges in the savanna belt of Africa. |
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| ISSN: | 2772-4115 |