The ABN was first conceived in 1996, in response to growing concern about threatened biodiversity and community livelihood in Africa – mainly due to the effects industrial commodification – and the need to develop strong African positions and legislation, to protect Africa’s heritage. By 2002 it was formalised in name and structure. Regional and Thematic Coordinators were designated. The network now comprises over 300 concerned Africans who are engaged in promoting these activities in Africa and strengthening alliances with like-minded others regionally and internationally. It has partners in 11 countries: Benin, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
1. SEED SECURITY is the basis of food sovereignty and a critical factor in preventing dependency, vulnerability, poverty, hunger, famine and strategies for dealing with climate change. ABN develops actions to support farmer communities to maintain and increase their agricultural diversity and sustainability through conservation and use of their farmer-variety seed resources. In addition, we are working together to ensure that regional and national policies support and promote seed security and small-holder farmers.
2. GENETIC ENGINEERING and AGROFUELS are the most recent manifestations of industrial agriculture and the push by the World Trade Organization to control all trade for the corporate interests of the ‘developed’ world. The application of IPRs through Genetic Engineering (GE) erodes seed security and impacts negatively on biodiversity. ABN seeks to strengthen the capacity of civil society, small-holder farmers, consumers and other stakeholders in African countries to lobby for a seed diverse and GE free Africa that denies the application of patents on all and any living beings. Network partners were very active during the drafting of the African Model Laws on Biosafety in Biotechnology; and the African Model Law on the Protection of the Rights of Local Communities, Farmers and Breeders and for the Regulation of Access to Biological Resources. These model laws were developed with the African Union and later endorsed by the African Union Council of Ministers.
3. CULTURAL BIODIVERSITY generational learning to recuperate knowledge and customary practices embedded in African cultures that enhance and protect biodiversity and are embedded in cultural tradition. This knowledge is being undermined by westernized education. The ABN targets young people and schools to rekindle the relationship between the youth and local wise people including elders to ensure that the upcoming African generation values their cultural knowledge and puts it into practice. Cultural biodiversity revitalises our communities and builds youth leadership, developing leaders that will champion the protection of African biodiversity and community rights into the future.
4. COMMUNITY ECOLOGICAL GOVERNANCE an integrated approach to strengthen community governance systems, norms and practices which protect livelihoods and the environment. These are increasingly trampled by globalising trends to privatise land, water, biodiversity and knowledge. Sacred sites often remain pristine and important biodiverse areas, especially where cultural practises are still intact. These potent places are often starting points to expose and reinvigorate cultural governance systems. The ABN supports the recuperation and strengthening of community ecological governance systems and seeks to gain legal recognition of key sites and associated governance systems.

How We Work

ABN partners work at a grass roots level in 11 African countries, always informed by local knowledge and solutions. We use our collective strength and experience to build knowledge, skills and relationships across civil society organizations. Our solidarity, grown through constant consultation and reflective learning, makes us a powerful force to lobby regionally and internationally for policies that protect the livelihoods of rural communities and the biodiversity resources upon which they depend.
There is no official membership, rather partners come on board as they begin to pioneer culture-centred approaches and share their experiences. Partner organizations within the ABN are responsible for developing and implementing their own community work, coalition building, legal and policy work. The ABN provides an overall structure to facilitate research and the flow of information, experiential learning through workshops and exchanges, and micro-project support for community initiatives or catalyst actions. The ABN has one overall co-ordinator and a co-ordinator for each of the four thematic areas, based in different African countries. The secretariat is based in Kenya.

Funding

Financial support for the overall network and the work of many of its partner organizations has been secured from mainly European donors, particularly The Dutch Biodiversity Fund, Swedbio, The European Commission, and HIVOS.

The ABN is grateful to the following organizations for their support:

Gaia Foundation, Siemmenpuu, Sigrid Rausing, Artist's Project Earth (APE), Swedish society for nature conservation (SSNC), Restore UK, Global Green Grants, Comic Relief, African Women's Development Fund (AWDF), Network for Social Change, Tudor Trust, The Christensen Fund and The Funders Network (TFN).