1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Biodiversity is the source of economic and ecological security of present and future generations. Diversity and variety enable humanity to adapt to local, regional and global change. Current and future economic, social and ecological contributions of genes, species, and ecosystems make the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity not just technical concerns but policy and political imperatives as well. Decisions being made in many sectors and at different levels have direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity, and the benefits it provides. Yet, many policy-makers hardly consider the consequences of the policies that they formulate, and the effects of and public actions on biodiversity. This arises firstly due to a general lack of knowledge on biodiversity processes, and how different land-use and management practices affects these processes. Secondly, concern about biodiversity has been narrowly mandated to select offices, such as ministries of environment, rather than being allowed to permeate through to other relevant decision-making bodies.

The regional workshop on "Mainstreaming Agriculture into Forestry: Towards Systemic Biodiversity Policies" was stimulated by a variety of factors. Firstly, the absence of institutional linkages between agriculture and forestry agencies in many countries undermines the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) among African countries. Secondly, the workshop was designed to build upon the recommendations of a December 1998 workshop on "Sustaining Agriculture and Agro-ecosystem Functions", sponsored by FAO and the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries. Among the needs identified by the FAO workshop were "capacity building to improve knowledge and information" and a need "for decision-making and planning and policy-making on agricultural biodiversity". Thirdly, the formulation of biodiversity strategies and action plans in many countries of eastern and southern Africa has so far not adequately accommodated agricultural concerns and issues, and ecological links between agriculture and forestry have often not been recognized.