About the African Biodiversity Network

The African Biodiversity Network (ABN) is a regional network of individuals and organisations seeking African solutions to the ecological and socio-economic challenges that face the continent. The ABN was first conceived in 1996 in response to growing concern in the region over threats to Biodiversity in Africa and the need to develop strong African positions and legal instruments at the national, regional and international level. Currently The ABN has 36 partners drawn from twelve African countries: Benin, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The African Biodiversity Network strives to ignite and nurture a growing network of change agents working passionately at all levels, in the face of injustices and destruction arising from the current industrial development model, to enable resilient local communities to govern their lives and livelihoods rooted in their own social, cultural & ecological diversity.

We focus on indigenous knowledge, ecological agriculture and biodiversity related rights, policy and legislation. We pioneer culturally-centred approaches to social and ecological problems in Africa through sharing experiences, co-developing methodologies and creating a united African voice on the continent on these issues.

Africa is at a crossroads, trying to reconcile the conservation and recuperation of its vast cultural and natural heritage and meet the many needs of a growing population. Powerful external forces continue to divert us from solutions that come from within Africa as they push for the privatisation and industrialisation of land, knowledge and biodiversity in the name of poverty alleviation.

However, the solutions that we seek already lie within our indigenous cultures. The ABN is a network committed to unearthing and implementing African solutions to African problems and building solidarity on biodiversity and community rights issues on the continent.

Together, the African Biodiversity Network is finding innovative and pioneering pathways and solutions to the challenges which face the continent. We thank you for supporting this journey. 

How We Work

ABN partners work at a grass roots level in 12 African countries, always informed and led 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 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 upon which they depend. Partners come on board as they begin to pioneer culture-centred approaches with communities, or advocacy strategies, and then 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, training support for community initiatives and to catalyse wider actions, as well as developing collective advocacy strategies. ABN encourages and supports partners to innovate and pilot new strategies and processes which emerge from and with communities.

The ABN is committed to the following thematic areas. Click on the links to find out more:

Building Ecosystem and Community Resilience

Strengthening Advocacy Alliances

Strengthening Network Development

The ABN secretariat is based in Kenya. Find out about the team by clicking here.

Funding

Financial support for the network has been secured from mainly European donors, particularly The Dutch Biodiversity Fund, Swedbio, The European Commission, HIVOS and NORAD. The ABN is grateful to the following organizations for their support: The Gaia Foundation, Siemmenpuu, 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, the Waterloo Foundation, the Christensen Fund, the Swift Foundation, Bread for the World, NORAD and The Funders Network (TFN).