National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Eritrea

f j/jjaravj r / /J/ J/ /J×f/.w/J/J/f /J/f /A NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN FOR ERITREA Prepared by The Department of Environment Ministry of Land, Water and Environment Asmara August 2000 Photographs appearing in the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan were obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Fisheries Printed in Asmara by Francescana Printing Press ERITREA BIODiVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN i FOREWORD The importance of having a national biodiversity strategy and action plan need not t z over emphasised. Given our past history, there was a complete neglect and mismanagement to our natural resources in general and to biodiversity resources in particular. The environmental scenario in Eritrea is featured by one of the most severe land degradation, deforestation, decreasing wildlife populations, loss of habitat, etc. Relatively speaking it may be argued that our coastal and marine biodiversity resources remained stable as compared to our terrestrial and agro-biodiversity resources. This does not mean, however, that there was sound marine environment protection and management practices put in place. This is due to the fact that there was not any meaningful program of activities to exploit marine biodiversity resources. To reverse the situation, it is only after Eritrea's independence that the Government took the initiative to institute certain policy and practical measures to rehabilitate and restore the degrading environment. The preparation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) is a continuation of the Government efforts and is a step forward with respect to biodiversity conservation for a sustainable use. The NBSAP presents Eritrea's overall policy position with respect to biodiversity conservation and attempts to place this policy in the context of the Government's major development objectives for the next few years. The Ministry of Land, Water and Environment commits itself to facilitate, promote, and co-ordinate the implementation process of biodiversity conservation activities for a sustainable use. The .preparation of the NBSAP also demonstrates Eritrea's readiness to implement the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), under whose obligation the NBSAP is prepamd. We believe that the strategy and action plan identified in the NBSAP, while addressing national needs and priorities, will at the same time contribute to global biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. Nevertheless, national biodiversity planning and management capacity should be increased and strengthened if such contributions are going to be effective. The CBD should then endeavour to strengthen these capacities through its established financial mechanisms. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND. WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ER1TREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN ii It is to be realised that the NBSAP will require adequate financial support for its implementation. We, thus, consider the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and its implementing agencies, including the World Bank, United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Environment Program to be important partners in our endeavour to implement biodiversity conservation programs. In this connection we take this opportunity to humbly express our vote of thanks to the financial support made by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for preparing the NBSAP and also to the World Bank for effectively implementing this support. The NBSAP could not have been successfully produced without the active participation of all those institutions involved in the process. We wish then to express our full appreciation to the efforts made by concerned government agencies and others, while asking our sincere apologies for not being able to list all the names. Wold Minister of Land Water and Environment July2000 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN iii ACRONYMS AMRF: Assessment and Management Riverine Forest CAAS: College of Agriculture and Aquatic Sciences CBD: Convention on Biological Diversity COP: Conference of Parties CMI: Coastal and Marine Islands cfr: Core Planning Team DANIDA: Danish International Development Agency DARHRD: Department of Agricultural Research and Human Resource Development DOE: Department of Environment ECDF: Eritrean Community Development Fund EEA: Eritrean Environment Agency EEQ: Environmental Evaluation Questionnaire EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment ER: Eritrea EAFRINET: East Africa Biosystematics Network FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation FWD: Forestry and Wild Life Division GDP: Gross Domestic Product GEF: Global Environment Facility GIS: Geographic Information System GOE: Government of Eritrea ICIPE: International Centre for Insects and Pests Ecology ICARDA: International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas ICRAF: International Centre for Research and Agro-Forestry ICRISAT: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics IDA: International Development Agency ILCA: International Livestock Centre for Africa IPGRI: International Plant Genetic Resources Institute IPM: Integrated Pest Management IUCN: World Conservation Union DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ER1TREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN iv MARPOL: International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from 5hips MBF: Department of Marine Biology and Fisheries (UOA) MEM: Ministry of Energy and Mines MOA: Ministry of Agriculture MOD: Ministry of Defence MOE: Ministry of Education MOF: Ministry of Fisheries MOH: Ministry of Health MO1: Ministry of Information MOJ: Ministry of Justice MOLG: Ministry of Local Government MOT: Ministry of Tourism MLWE: Ministry of Land Water and Environment MSY: Maximum Sustainable Yield MTC: Ministry of Transport and Communication MTI: Ministry of Trade and Industry MICMEC: Mm oflntemafionalCo--on MacmPolicyand on NBSAP: National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NDVI: Normalised Difference Vegetation Index NEMP-E: National Environmental Management Plan for Eritrea NEPFAP: National Economic Policy Framework and Program NGO's: Non-Governmental Organisations NUEW: National Union of Eritrean Women NUEYS: National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students PGRU: Plant Genetic Resource Unit EPFDJ: Eritrean People's Front for Democracy and Justice RUG: University of Groningem SOS: Save Our Soul WHO: World Health Organisation UNDP: United Nations Development Programme UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme UOA: University of Asmara DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ER1TREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN v TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword ...................................................................................................................... i Acronyms .............................................................................................................. iii Table of contents ................................................................................................. v Executive Summary ................................................................................................. vii Section 1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background and context ................................................................ 1 1.2 The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) ............................ 2 Section 2. Country Profile ............................................................................ 3 2.1 Location ........................................................................................ 3 2.2 Population ........................................................................................ 3 2.3 Climate and geography ................................................................ 3 2.4 Government ........................................................................................ 4 2.5 Economy ........................................................................................ 4 Section 3. The Status of Biodiversity in Eritrea .................................................... 7 3.1 Terrestrial Biodiversity ............................................................... 8 3.1.1 Terrestrial Biodiversity at the Ecosystem Level ............... 8 3.1.2 Terrestrial Biodiversity at the Species Level ............... 13 3.2 Marine Biodiversity ........................................................................... 17 3.3 Agricultural Biodiversity ............................................................... 20 Section 4. Assessment of the National Policy, Legislative and Institutional Framework in view of Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation .. 25 4.1 National Constitution .......................................................................... 25 4.2 National Development Policy .............................................................. 25 4.3 Implications of the National Development Policy for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use ..................................................... 26 4.4 Legislative framework for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use ....................................................................... 27 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRy OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN vi Section 5. The Principal Components of the Strategy and Action Plan .............. 30 5.1 Goal .................................................................................................. 31 5.2 Objectives ...................................................................................... 31 5.2.1 Terrestrial Biodiversity ............................................................ 31 5.2.2 Marine Biodiversity ................................................................... 32 5.2.3 Agricultural Biodiversity .......................................................... 32 5.3 Strategic Elements ............................................................... 32 Section 6 Biodiversity-related Activities for Terrestrial Biodiversity ................ 34 6.1 Integrated management .......................................................................... 34 6.2 Sustainable use of natural resources .................................................. 37 6.3 Alien invasive species .......................................................................... 40 6.4 Pollution management .......................................................................... 42 6.5 In-situ conservation (protected areas) .................................................. 43 6.6 Ex-situ conservation .......................................................................... 45 6.7 Taxonomic knowledge .......................................................................... 46 6.8 Information acquisition and storage .................................................. 47 6.9 Public awareness and education .............................................................. 48 6.10 Legal and institutional structure (capacity building) .......................... 49 6.10.1 Legislation ...................................................................................... 49 6,10.2 Institutions (capacity building) .................................................. 50 Section 7. Biodiversity-related Activities for Marine Biodiversity .......................... 52 7.1 Integrated management .......................................................................... 53 7.2 Sustainable use of natural resources .................................................. 54 7.3 Alien invasive species .......................................................................... 55 7.4 Pollution management .......................................................................... 56 7.5 In-situ conservation (protected areas) ............................ ,..................... 56 7.6 Ex-situ conservation .......................................................................... 59 7.7 Taxonomic knowledge .......................................................................... 59 7.8 Information acquisition and storage .................................................. 60 7.9 Public awareness and education .............................................................. 61 7.10 Legal and institutional structure (capacity building) .......................... 62 Section 8. Biodiversity-related Activities for Agricultural Biodiversity .............. 64 8.1 Integrated management .......................................................................... 65 8.2 Sustainable use of natural resources .................................................. 67 8.3 Alien species .......................................................................... 70 8.4 Pollution management .......................................................................... 72 8.5 In-situ conservation ....................................................................... 73 8.6 Ex-situ conservation .......................................................................... 74 8.7 Taxonomic knowledge .......................................................................... 76 8.8 Information acquisition and storage .................................................. 77 8.9 Public awareness and education .............................................................. 78 8. i0 Legal and institutional structure (capacity building) .......................... 78 I)EPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STR, FEGY AND ACTION PLAN: INTRODUCTION Vii Executive Summary This first Eritrean National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) has been prepared over an extended period from June 1997 until July 2000 and presents Eritrea's overall policy position with respect to its biodiversity, the sum total of ecosystem, species and genetic diversity that lies within Eritrean territory. The NBSAP builds upon the Government's previous commitment to broader environmental protection, as contained in the 1995 National Environmental Management Plan - Eritrea (NEMP-E). The NBSAP covers a range of existing and ongoing biodiversity-related activities taking place within different sectors of the economy. An important principle of the strategy is that the most appropriate niche for biodiversity-related activities in Eritrea lies within the existing policy framework for sustainable economic development. The NBSAP attempts to place biodiversity policy in the context of the government's major development objectives for the next five years. Environmental activities already form a prominent part of the Government development policy. Given the limited financial and human resources capacity available in Eritrea, the NBSAP seeks to integrate and co-ordinate these activities to increase their effectiveness for biodiversity conservation, rather than replace or add to them. Biodiversity-related activities must be made compatible with those designed to improve human welfare in Eritrea. There are many situations where these two goals are complementary and can even be self-reinforcing. The NBSAP focuses on these "win-win" opportunities, plus those interventions which are considered to be essential to meeting the obligations to which Eritrea has committed itself to undertake the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which the State of Eritrea formally approved on 21st March 1996. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRy OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: viii The Department of Environment of the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment has been appointed by the Government to be the co-ordinating agency for biodiversity-related activities of the country. However, it is emphasised here that this NBSAP represents a joint commitment by all relevant authorities and agencies within the government, at both national and regional level. The NBSAP comprises four major parts. The first part, (Section 2 Country Profile), describes the broad geographic and socio-economic context of Eritrea within which any biodiversity strategy must be positioned. This section provides information on the geography of Eritrea and also on the main socio-economic systems across the country. The second part,(Section 3 The Status of Biodiversity in Eritrea), documents what is currently known about the distribution and condition of biodiversity across both terrestrial and marine environments. Although Eritrea is not a biodiversity "hotspot", it does contain a wide range of ecosystem types within a small geographic area. This diversity is an important component of Eritrea's potential as a tourist destination. At the species level, Eritrea is home to a number of globally rare and endangered species (e.g. African Wild Ass; Nubian Ibex) as well as being part of one of the wond's major centres of crop diversity. These plant genetic resources have the potential to make a major contribution to national and global agriculture. The third part of the NBSAP (Section 4 Assessment of the National Policy, Legislative and Institutional Framework in view of Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation) reviews the evolving policy, legislative and institutional framework within which conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity must be effected in Eritrea. The policy and legislative framework in Eritrea is still developing since independence; this provides an important opportunity to introduce effective action for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in an integrated DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN ix manner through the entire economy . The fourth, and most important, part of the NBSAP consists of four inter-linked sections which describe the major components of the strategy and action plan. The first part (Section 5 The Principal Components of the Strategy and Action Plan) describes the programmatic elements of the NBSAP. These elements are described under 10 themes: Integrated management; Sustainable use of natural resources; Alien invasive species; Pollution management; ln-situ conservation (protected areas); Ex-situ conservation; Taxonomic knowledge; Information acquisition and storage; Public awareness and education; Legal and institutional structure (capacity building). The final three sections (Section 6: Biodiversity-related Activities for Terrestrial Biodiversity; Section 7: Biodiversity-related Activities for Marine Biodiversity; and Section 8: Biodiversity-related Activities for Agricultural Biodiversity describe the principal activities which are considered to be essential elements of an effective programme for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in Eritrea. A total of 42 activities are described for improving conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial biodiversity. The majority of these are on going activities which would benefit from additional funding - others are new planned activities for which funding has yet to allocated. Implementation of existing and planned activities would be undertaken by a range of government agencies at national and regional level. A total of 31 activities are described for improving conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity. Biodiversity-related activities in this sector are dominated by the on-going programme of activities being undertaken by the Government of Eritrea as part of the Global Environment Facility-funded Conservation These three parts of the NBSAP are summaries of information contained in additional, more detailed reports: (i) The Eritrea Biodversity Stocktaking Assessment Report, (ii) the Eritrea Biodiversity Economic Assessment and (iii) the Assessment of the National Policy, Legislative and Institutional Framework in view of Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation, which are available from the Department of Environment. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERS1TY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN x Management of Eritrea's Coastal, Marine and Island (CMl) Biodiversity project. Responsibility for implementation of this project lies with the Ministry of Fisheries in close collaboration with other relevant sectors. A total of 28 activities are described for improving conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity. Biodiversity-related activities in this sector are closely linked to the vital need to improve agricultural productivity and food security. The judicious use of agro-biodiversity resources can improve the livelihoods of the majority of Eritreans who are still dependent on low-intensity agriculture, while at the same time contributing to the conservation of globally-important plant genetic resources which have been developed over many years by Eritrean farmers. The activities described in this first National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan represent the minimum set of actions considered necessary to ensure that Eritrea's biodiversity is maintained intact and can make a contribution to the economic development of the country for present and future generations. Successful implementation of the strategy will require strong commitment from the highest level of the govemment and a high level of co-operation and co-ordination between many institutions so that biodiversity conservation and sustainable use becomes integrated into the overall national development. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT M IISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIOI)IVERSlTY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: INTRODUCTION I SECTION I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background and Context This National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) has been prepared over an extended period from June 1997 until July 2000. As part of the NBSAP process those important assessment reports have also been prepared. These include:- 1. Eritrea Biodiversity Stocktaking Assessment Report and 2. Entrea Biodiversity Economic Assessment. The NBSAP presents Entrea's overall policy position with respect to biodiversity and attempts to place this policy in the context of the government's major development objectives. The NBSAP presented here has adopted a pragmatic approach to what might realistically be achieved over the next 7 - 8 years with respect to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. The NBSAP builds upon the Government's previous commitment to broader environmental protection, as contained in the 1995 NationaI Environmental Management Plan - Eritrea (NEMP-E). Wherever possible, the activities and interventions recommended in the NBSAP expand and build upon this management plan, especially its Section B.2 (2.5) on Natural Heritage and Biological Diversity. In addition, the NBSAP includes a range of existing activities already taking place within different sectors. Environmental activities already form a prominent part of the Government development policy - given the limited financial and human resource capacity available, the NBSAP seeks to integrate and co-ordinate these activities to increase their effectiveness for biodiversity conservation, rather than replace or add to them. Similarly, it is implicit in the NBSAP that the most appropriate niche for biodiversity related activities in Eritrea is within the existing framework of sustainable economic development. Put simply, biodiversity-related activities must be made compatible with those designed to improve human welfare in Eritrea. Fortunately, there are many situations where these two goals are complementary and even self-reinforcing. The NBSAP focuses on these "win-win" opportunities, plus those interventions which are considered to be essential to meeting the obligations to which Eritrea has committed itself to undertake the Convention on Biological Diversity (see below). From time to time, this programme of activities can be expanded to suit the changing conditions. This is considered to be a more sensible response to the present situation than creating an over-ambitious wish-list with little practical chance of implementation. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA B IODIVERSITY STRATEOY AND ACTION PLAN: INTRODUCTION 2 1.2 The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) The State of Eritrea formally approved the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 21st March 1996. Eritrea has been a participant at recent meetings of the Conference of Parities (COP) and supports international community attempts to reverse the overall global decline of biological diversity through the activities of the CBD. In 1996, the'Eritrean Environmental Agency (EEA) was named as the government institution responsible for co-ordinating Eritrea's activities under the Convention. In 1997, the EEA was restructured as the Department of Environment (DOE) in the newly created Ministry of Land, Water and Environment (MLWE) of the State of Eritrea. The DoE has assumed responsibility for co-ordination of CBD-related activities within Eritrea, although biodiversity-related activities are implemented by a wider range of government and public agencies. Under the CBD, Eritrea has, like other signatory countries, agreed to a number of specific obligations and opportunities for enhancement of biological diversity conservation and sustainable use t. Amongst the obligations are the following: · preparation of a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (Article 6); · identification and monitoring of components of biological diversity important for its conservation and sustainable use (Article 7); and · preparation of regular reports on measures taken for the implementation of provisions of the Convention (Article 26). These three obligations form part of a long-term commitment to activities that conserve and promote sustainable use of biodiverse natural resources within member countries. The full text of the Convention on Biological Diversity may be obtained from the DoE on request. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: COUNTRY PROFILE 3 SECTION 2 COUNTRY PROFILE 2.1 Location Eritrea, Africa's youngest independent nation, declared its independence on May 24th 1993, two years after the end of a 30- year liberation struggle. It lies in the north-eastern comer of the Horn of Africa, bordered by Sudan to the west, Ethiopia to the south, Djibouti to the south-east, and the Red Sea to the east. The country is defined by borders created in a series of agreements signed between colonial powers and adjacent countries during the period from 1900-19081 . The total land area is approximately 124,320 km2, including over 350 islands 2. 2.2 Population The total population of Eritreans is estimated at around 3.5 million, with up to 1 million of these living overseas. The annual population growth rate is estimated at between 2.7 and 3%. The population consists of nine ethnic groups: Tigfigna (50.4%), Tigre (31%), Saho (5%), Afar (5%), Hidareb (2.5%), Bilen (2.1%), Kunama (2%), Nara (1.5%), and Rashaida (0.5%), each with its own language and cultural diversity. The population is approximately 50% Christians (majority Orthodox and minority Roman Catholics plus Protestants) and 50% Muslims. Ethnic, religious and gender parity is a strong element of national government policy - harmony between Christians and Muslims has contributed to the strong national unity within the COUntry. 2.3 Climate and Geography The highlands have a cool temperate climate while the lowlands are characterised by a hot and humid climate, especially along the coast. Eritrea is in-the Saharan rainfall zone and receives its heaviest rains from the south-west monsoons. In normal years, rainfall varies from an annual average of 400 mm to 650 mm in the highlands and from 200 mm to 300 mm in the lowlands. Over half of the total land area is unsuitable or marginal for agriculture due to steep topography or lack of reliable rainfall. A more complete description of the F co-geography of the country in relation to biodiversity knowledge is provided in Section 3 below and also in the Eritrea Biodiversity Stocktaking Assessment 3. HabtuGhebre-Ab(1993)EthiopiaandEritrea: adocumentarystudy.RedSeaPress,TrentonNJ,USA 2DOE(1997)Stateof theEnvironment-Eritrea (PilotReport) 3Copiesof the NationalBiodiversityReportmaybe obtainedfromthe DoE. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTIONPLAN: COUNTRY PROFILE 4 2.4 Government The National Constitution, approved and ratified on 23 aMay 1997, establishes the National Assembly as "the supreme representative and legislative body of the State of Eritrea' (Article 31) with "a duty to enact an electoral law" to "ensure the representation and participation of the Eritrean people" (Article 30). The first National Assembly was elected in early 1997 and elections are to be conducted every 5 years. Administratively, the country is divided into six Zobas, or regional administrations, which replaced the previous nine administrative provinces (Awraja) in 1996. As the country moves towards a decentralised system of government, the zoba administrations are responsible for implementing policies (economic and social) which have been developed in collaboration with the central government. 2.5 Economy The economy could be described as a regulated free market 4 - the overall development goal being "the establishment of a dynamic private sector-led market economy" with the role of the government resiricted to "maintaining law and order, and sound macroeconomic policies, and to undertaking critical investments in strategic sectors of the economy ''5 Economic recovery between 1992 and 1998 has increased per capita GDP from below $150 to around $190. Agriculture accounts for around 30% of GDP and also a large part of the subsistence economy; the contribution of agriculture to GDP fluctuates widely with the success of each harvest and is highly dependent upon annual rainfall. Over 70 percent of Eritrea's people are rural and depend for their livelihood on traditional subsistence agriculture, including crop farming, mixed agro-pastoralism and pure pastoralism. Average family plot size in the highlands is 1-1.5 hectares and around 2-3 ha. in the lowlands. Although up to 3.2 million hectares of land is estimated to have potential for agriculture 6, only around 14% is cultivated at present (~450,000 ha; the exact figure varies from year to year). Only around 20,000 hectares is under irrigation. Forestry and fishing currently account for less than 5% of GDP; vrtisanal fishing also makes a large contribution to the informal subsistence sector of the coastal economy. Historically, the fishing sector peaked in the 1950s at a catch of 25,000 tonnes when there were around 20,000 fisher-folk. Currently, the artisanal sector lands around 700 tonnes per annum; the commercial sector increased to 3,773 tonnes in 1995, but crashed to just 38 tonnes in 1997. The total maximum sustainable yield (MSY) from the Eritrean Red Sea continental shelf area of 52,000 km2 is estimated at around 65,000 tonnes (Fisheries Sector Report, 1999). Eritrea's industrial base is still extremely narrow and is made up mostly of small- and medium scale consumer-goods producing industries (food, beverages, leather goods, textiles, etc.) 4Many prices have been deregulated but price controls remain on flour and bread, petroleum products, utility prices, and rents for government houses. ' National Economic Policy Framework and Program, 1998 This figure is regarded as a very optimistic estimate by some experts. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: COUNTRY PROFILE 5 whose technology is largely out of date as a result of neglect of investment during the long war. Industry and manufacturing accounted for around 25% of GDP in 1995 but production of this sector was increasing by around 50% per annum. A summary of key physical, economic and social indicators is included in Table 1 below. Table 1. Selected Physical, Economic and Social Indicators for Eritrea Parameter Measure Unit Land Area 124,320 km 2 Forested 1 % Coastline 1900 km Continental shelf 52,000 km2 Per capita GDP 160-190 US $ Social Indicators Population 3-3.5 Million Population Growth Rate 2.7-3.0 % per annum Rural 70-80 % Population Density 24-28 : per km2 Crude Birth Rate 47 per 1000 Crude Death Rate 18 per 1000 Life expectancy at birth 46 Years Total Fertility Rate 6.8 Number of children per child bearing women Contraceptive prevalence rate < 1 % Health Infant Mortality 135 per 1000 live births Under 5 mortality 203 per 1000 live births Under-Ss underweight >41 % Access to immunisation 27 % Maternal mortality rate 710 per 100,000 births Population 28,000 per physician Population 10,000 per hospital bed DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: COUNTRY PROFILE 6 (Table 1. continued) Selected Physical, Economic and Social Indicators for Eritrea Parameter Measure Unit Water Access to safe water 8 % Access to sanitation services 14 % Urban population access to sanitation services 44 % Rural population access to sanitation services <1 % Nutrition Average daily intake 1,750 calories per capita Education Female literacy rate 10 % Adult literacy rate 20 % Primary school enrolment 47.4 % of relevant population Junior secondary eurolment 22.4 % of relevant population Secondary school enrolment 13.7 % of relevant population Pupils (Primary) 37 per teacher Pupils 68 per textbook Infrastructure I Telephone lines 0.37 i per 100 inhabitants Source: World Bank (1996) IDA Country Assistance Strategy Paper (15324-ER) DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATBR AND ENVIRONMENT E;RITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 7 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERS1TY IN ERITREA SECTION 3 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA ' The biodiversity of Eritrea may be described conveniently under three core areas: · the natural terrestrial habitats characteristic of the region; · the diverse agro-ecosystems which have developed as a result of traditional agricultural activities in the region; and · the coastal marine and island ecosystems of the Red Sea. The status of biodiversity across these three core areas is not known precisely at present. It is clear that throughout the 20 th century, growing human influence, amplified by war and drought 2, has placed increasing pressure on the natural terrestrial biodiversity of the country. Similarly, the agro-biodiversity associated with indigenous, traditional farming systems has been disrupted severely by the same forces. By contrast, the marine ecosystems of the Eritrean Red Sea region have been much less affected by these pressures and are ecologically relatively intact. Although the long-term trend in biodiversity status in Eritrea over this century has been negative, there are encouraging signs of improvement over the recent past decade. Between 1991 and 1998, the overall status of wild terrestrial biodiversity in Eritrca has improved, albeit from rather poor initial condition. This improvement has resulted from the cessation of armed conflict, the war of independence that lasted for 30 years, and a sequence of relatively good years of rainfall. This period of stability has allowed both natural habitat and agricultural systems to recover from their degraded state 3. The period of relative stability and good rainfall has also contributed to the success of efforts to intensify agricultural production, increasing the (man-made) threat to some agro biodiversity. In the marine sector, the increase in economic activity has proceeded fairly slowly and threats to marine biodiversity are still relatively localised (e.g. pollution impacts around Massawa and Asseb). During the same time period (1990-99), empirical knowledge about biodiversity in Eritrea has increased, but from a very low baseline level. Thirty years of institutional neglect during the liberation struggle left Eritrea with few trained botanists, zoologists, ecologists, etc. who have the skills required to document biodiversity in detail. In 3pite of this limitation, Eritrea has made some progress towards establishing an information base upon which rational hiodiversity planning can begin. The sections below, derived mostly from reports compiled during the NBSAP process, summarise this growing knowledge. A full report of the status of biodiversity in Eritrea can be found in the National Biodiversity Stocktaking Assessment Report, available from the DoE. 'There was widespread drought in much of Eritrea during the 1940's, 1960's and 1970s; few data are available for 1980-1990; since 1990, more complete records have been maintained. The border conflict with Ethiopia could have reversed this trend in the conflict zones and its immediate environs. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERrrRBA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 8 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERFFREA 3.1 Terrestrial Biodiversity Terrestrial biodiversity is defined here as the natural biological systems occupying the land area of Eritrea, excluding the marine systems and also the biodiversity associated with agricultural systems: Obviously, there is a good deal of overlap between these systems, especially with regard to extensive rangeland and the coastal plains and islands of the Red Sea. 3.1.1 Terrestrial Biodiversity at the Ecosystem Level Few studies of ecosystem biodiversity (sensu stricto) have been completed in Eritrea but a number of national land use classifications have been developed. Eco-geographical, agro-ecological, and vegetation cover classifications have been produced at coarse scales. These classifications capture the main regional ecological variations within the country but provide little detailed information about the species diversity, which exists within these regions. In almost all cases, the level of ecological/biodiversity information about particular ecosystems and habitats (e.g. Juniperus forest, riverine forest, coral reefs, traditional fanmng systems) is incomplete and in many cases historical and unlikely to reflect the current situation. The Department of Land in the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment has classified Eritrea into 6 agro-ec01ogical zones on the basis of altitude, temperature and rainfall regime and other agricultural factors (see Figure 1). These zones correspond broadly with the ecological zones produced by FAO (1997) from aggregate Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data derived from NOAA-AVHRR satellite images (see Figure 2). The agro-ecological zones clearly demonstrate the over-riding influence of available water on vegetation productivity. The latter is likely to correlate strongly with overall biodiversity richness, although it is likely that each agro-ecological zone will contain some plant and/or animal species/varieties not found in any other zone. This means that full biodiversity conservation will require that a minimum area of natural habitat is maintained under natural conditions in each agro-ecological zone. Fortunately, the six agro-ecological zones correlate, to a reasonable extent, with the six new regional administrative boundaries. Regional implementation of a national biodiversity conservation policy could provide an effective mechanism for ensuring that the maximum amount of diversity is maintained as efficiently as possible. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERS1TY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 9 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVi 1Iir.,SFOR AGRO-BIODIVERSITY Figure 1: Agro-ecologicat Zone Map (1998) R GIC AL ZO [q OF ER I T F a SUB HUMID L MO{ST HIGH LAND C O MOIS'TLOWLANO 1 -- ARID HIGH LAND ARIOLOW LAND i: SEMI.DESERT U') (> E r H I 0 p I . ' / DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGy AND ACTION PLAN: I0 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Figure 2: NDVI Vegetation Production Map of Eritrea iNllDV1 Scale 02 .- · OS J · o · · · Scate ·" L j ,'1. ,4 e etl t ,: ,l *, t¢$ \ ) DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERrrREA BIODWERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: ! THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Currently, Eritrea has no formal protected areas, which are legally gazette& although a number of potential locations have been identified and partially surveyed. It is unlikely that more detailed biodiversity information will change these priorities, although additional locations may be identified. The absence of formal protected areas does not mean that land is not being conserved in Eritrea. Up to 1999, around 192,734 ha 4 of land has been place d under partial or complete closure (i.e. protection from human utilisation for fuelwood/grazing) through joint agreements between local communities and the Ministry of Agriculture: Although much of the land was placed under enclosure, because it was degraded to some extent, it still represents a significant area of potentially valuable land for biodiversity conservation - many closures are showing clear signs of increase in vegetation cover, but their biodiversity status is not being adequately monitored at present. At this time, the status of natural terrestrial ecosystem biodiversity in Eritrea can be summarised conveniently under three broad categories: Low biodiversity, but stable: Much land in Eritrea, for example, most of Agro-ecological zones namely Arid Highland, Arid Lowland and Semi-desert (see Fig 1), currently has very low human population density and use. This situation is Iikely to remain the same for the near future at least and the biodiversity status of such regions can be considered to be relatively stable. These areas are quite similar ecologically and mostly low in terms of biodiversity richness, although they may contain interesting and important endemic species in particular places (see below). The major threats to biodiversity in these areas are drought, fire and overgrazing. Moderate biodiversity and threatened: The land in Agro-ecological zones namely Sub humid, Moist Highland and Moist Lowland has a higher overall level of biodiversity due to increased rainfall. This higher potential productivity also makes the land more suitable for agriculture and thus for associated human habitation and the additional pressures which this bnngs. In these areas, the potential for conflict between biodiversity conservation and sustainable use and conversion to alternative uses is high. Careful planning and strong management will be required to avoid, unnecessary loss of biodiversity. All of the key "pressure-point" locations identified in this NBSAP belong to this category. Degraded land: Land of this type may be found in most agro-ecological zones, but degraded land within zones namely Sub-humid, Moist Highland and Moist Lowland is the most significant from a biodiversity perspective. Degraded land in these zones is likely to continue to lose its remaining biodiversity if it is left unmanaged. Active intervention of some kind is required to restore this land to a self-sustaining, ecologically useful condition (either as natural habitat or as productive land for agriculture). ' Area estimate prtlvided by MoA7 March 2000 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINIS'IRY OFLANI) WATER AND EN Ib ONMIN'I ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: i2 THE STATUS OF BIOD1VERSITY IN ERITREA Northern Eastern Escarpment: Part of the remaining ever green forest of Eritrea Regeneration of vegetative cover under closure system DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 13 THE STATUS OF B[ODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Conservation of degraded land through terracing and other types of structures 3.1.2 Terrestrial Biodiversity at the Species Level As with terrestrial ecosystem diversity, knowledge of the status of individual terrestrial species is incomplete and in need of improvement before it can be used for realistic biodiversity planning. Although national lists have been compiled, these are mostly historical and recent records are few and insufficient to provide clear data on present-day distributions of species. A brief summary of these data is provided below. [Note: For animals below the vertebrate level, data are almost non-existent]. Mammals: A total of 126 mammal species have been listed in a recent compilation of existing information. This total includes 9 marine mammal species known to occur in Eritrean territorial waters, but excludes 9 domesticated mammals (sheep, goat, cow, pig, horse, donkey, camel, plus cat and dog). The population status of most of these wild species is poorly known at present, but has been ranked in 6 categories (Critical [Extinct], Critical, Endangered, Rare, Common, or of Unknown Status). This rapid assessment was undertaken by the staff of the Forestry and Wildlife Division (FWD) of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), with the aim of identifying needs for improving knowledge of terrestrial wildlife. The status categories simply reflect observation status and do not reflect any direct assessment of threat. The summary results are given below. I)EP4RTMENT O}' ENVIRONMENT MINISI'R OFL\ND WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERrrREA BIODIVERsrrY STRATEGy AND ACTION PLAN: 14 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERrrREA Table 2. Assessment of population status of Eritrean mammals (April 1999) Status category l}d'milion Number of species Critical (E) Not relial ly recorded since 1990 and certainly, or almost 9 certainly, extinct in Eritrea Critical Not reliably recorded since 1990 but known from anecdotal 9 (second-hand) evidence Endangered Known from less than 10 sighting and/or from less than 3 13 separate locations since 1990 Rare Known from between 10 and 50 sighting and/or from between 11 3 and 10 separate locations since 1990 Common Known from more than 50 sighting and/or from more than 10 20 separate locations since 1990 Unknown status Not identifiable due to nocturnal habit, small size, lack of 64* identification features, etc. Total 126 *This total includes three species (Brown and Black Rat and Domestic Mouse) which are common, but not seen "in the field" by wildlife staff. Table 2 demonstrates the crucial need for simple investment in improving baseline biodiversity data. Over 50% of mammal species cannot be ranked for status due to lack of knowledge.' Only 20 taxa can be considered to be secure in conservation terms. The rest must be considered threatened until further survey work is completed. Of the seventeen mammal taxa (species/sub-species) listed in 1997 IUCN Red List of Endangered Animals, which appear on the Eritrean checklist, only the Eritrean sub species of the warthog (Phacochoerus africanus aeliana), Soemmerring's Gazelle (Gazella soemmerringi) and Dugong (Dugong dugon) can be ranked as Common in Eritrea using the criteria above. Four species / subspecies, Gelada (Theropithecus gelada), Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simiensis ruppell), Walia Ibex (Capra walie), Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) are certainly extinct in Eritrea. Two species / subspecies, African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus), Lion (Panthera leo) are considered Critical, probably extinct. Three, Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus), Red-fronted gazelle (Gazella rufifrons), Nubian Ibex (Capra ibex nubiana) are considered Endangered; and two, Elephant ( Loxodonta africana ), African Wild Ass ( Equus africanus ) are considered Rare. Three bat species are of unknown status in Eritrea. It is also clear that a number of mammals, notably elephant, wild ass, greater kudu, and civet, are in danger of national extinction unless specific measures are put in place to protect them in the short-term. DEPARTMENT OF ENVmONMENT MRqlSTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 15 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA African Wild Ass: one of the critically endangered species of Eritrea. This is found in the Northern Red Sea Zone Birds: A total of 577 bird species are listed in the latest national checklist s. This list is a compilation of all known records, some dating back to before 1900. Of the total of 577 species, around 320 are resident, of which about 50% have historical breeding records. Around 150 are Palearctic migrants moving south from Europe to Africa; of these, around 40 species are recorded as breeding in Eritrea. Around 45 are intra-African migrants, a few of which are thought to breed in Eritrea. The remainder are either vagrants or of unclear/unknown status. Of this possible total of 577, only around 50% have one or more reliable recent sightings (since 1990). This demonstrates the weakness of baseline biodiversity information survey for birds in Eritrea. Some of the "missing" species may be (nationally) extinct; some may be present but truly rare, or vagrants not likely to be observed very often; some may have been mis-identifications. Eritrea has no known national endemic bird species, but does share up to 13 "regional endemics" with Ethiopia alone. These are unrecorded since 1990 except a flock of about 10 Black-winged Lovebirds recorded at Melezanei in 1997 and two (separate) observations, of Golden-backed Woodpeckers at Mai Aini and Segeneyti in 1998 (Dietmar Zinner; field observations). All 13 regional endemic species are recorded The full checklist is contained in the National Biodiversity Stocktaking Assessment Report available from the DoE. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITy STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 16 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA (historically) from the open upland country around Senafe, an area which has not been prioritised for protected area status. A further significant observation was of 5 Bald (Waldrapp's) Ibis near Massawa in February 1997 (Information from Chris Bowden, RSPB, UK; observation by Charles Dewhurst). Ostrich: Commonly found in the Eastern Lowlands of Eritrea Reptiles and Amphibians: Knowledge of biodiversity of reptiles and amphibians is extremely weak. A recent checklist has dramatically improved the historical knowledge base but recent information is still almost non-existent. A total of 90 reptiles and 19 amphibian species have been recorded for Eritrea - this is almost certainly an underestimate because species which are common and widespread elsewhere in the Horn of Africa do not appear on the Eritrean list. On the other hand, many of the species on the list have been collected only a few times and may well be extinct from Eritrea. Then are two possible endemic reptiles and one possible endemic amphibian on the list. Flora: Although historically, plant biodiversity in Eritma has been relatively well documented, mush of this information is only available outside of Eritrea (notably in Ethiopia and Italy). Within Eritrea today, plant biodiversity is under-collected and under studied. The regional Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 6 is still incomplete (only four volumes from a projected total of eight are available) and no national plant checklist exists. A number of regional vegetation descriptions exist and are summarised in the Eritma Biodiversity Stocktaking Assessment Report. In the absence of a national checklist, a 6 Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea; Volume 2 (Part2): Canellaceae to Euphorbiaceae (26 families); Volume 3: Pittosporaceae to Araliaceae (44 families); Volume 6: Volume 7: Poacae (Gramineae) (600spp.). Addis Ababa, Ethiopia/Uppsala, Sweden. DEPARTMENT OF ENV[RONMEN'F MINISTRY OF LAND. WATER ND ENVIRONMENT I:RI [ REA BIOI)IVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 17 I [IE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA number of site-speCific checklists are included in this report - one list of almost 700 species indicates that considerable plant diversity may persist in human-altered landscapes. A total of 33 tree species have been listed as endangered by the (FWD) of the MoA, but the quantitative basis for this status is not clearly documented. Other taxa: For all other taxa (e.g. invertebrates and microbes), the level of knowledge of diversity makes compilation of national checklists impossible. There are a few collections of insect, plant and microbe agricultural pests at the Department of Agricultural Research (MOA) and at the University of Asmara; a list of agricultural weeds and insect pests is provided in the Eritrea Biodiversity Stocktaking Assessment Report. This is one of the major gaps to be filled by the relevant institutions in the future. 3.2 Marine Biodiversity The Eritrean marine and coastal zone is situated in the southern sector of the Red Sea. The Red Sea is an almost enclosed, hot, saline body of water which harbours a flora and fauna partially isolated from the Indo-Pacific Ocean at some time in the last 10-20,000 years. The diversity of the Red Sea is a sub-set of that found in the Indo-Pacific Region, and is beginning to sho.w signs of divergence following isolation, especially amongst the 1248 spp. of fish. The Eritrean coastal plains are hot, dry and sparsely inhabited. This has contributed to the survival of a relatively pristine coastal and marine environment, of which the coral reefs and their associated fish assemblages represent the most diverse ecosystems in Eritrea. Over 100 birds, 500 fishes and 44 genera of hard corals have been recorded by recent surveys. In addition, the Eritrean coast is inhabited by up to 5 marine turtles, 8 or more cetaceans and the dugong - almost all of these species are of conservation concern globally. Additional surveys are required to fully establish which of the many mainland coastal and island sites would be the best suited for protected area status ?, but this should be decided before, or in parallel with, any increase in the levels of coral reef- based tourism. The number of coral reef sites of exceptional quality for dive tourism appears to be fairly limited - much of the Eritrea's reef is affected by natural turbidity, sedimentation and storm damage. Increases in commercial fishing activity, oil and gas production offshore and pollution from onshore industry and urban waste flows all represent potential threats to marine biodiversity. The BSAP process should co-ordinate with the current GEF/MoF project "Conservation management of Eritrea's coastal, marine and island biodiversity", to ensure that appropriate safeguards are put in place to protect a natural resource with great conservation value and significant sustainable revenue-earning potential. 7Threesites havebeenprioritisedforprotectedareastatusandconservationmanagementunderthe GEF/MoFproject"ConservationmanagementofEritrea'scoastal,marineandislandbiodiversity". DEl ARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 1 8 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Biodiversity in the Eritrean waters of the Red Sea Schools: Species of fish in large groups in the Eritrean waters of the Red Sea DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 19 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA % t. : I?, :k; . Butterfly Fish in healthy coral ecosystem of the EritTean waters of the Red Sea Mangroves: Source of food and shelter for marine organisms and birds DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 20 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY FbiERITREA 3.3 Agricultural Biodiversity: Agricultural biodiversity is defined as the variability among living organisms associated with agriculture: these include plants (utilised as food/feed, industrial, spices, medicinal, etc.), the wild relatives of these plants, animals, weeds and microbial. The diversity exists between species and within species in a given ecosystem. Eritrea possesses highly variable agro-climatic condition with elevations ranging from below sea level to about 2600 m. and temperature from semi-desert hot to warm, mild to temperate. There are two rainy seasons, one between June and September covering the greatest part of the country and the other from November to March coveting the eastern and southern escarpment and the coastal zone. These climatic and geographic variations create favourable conditions for the growth of different cultivated crop plants. Peasant farmers, who follow traditional farming systems for centuries, have passed on the genetic diversity of these crops from generation to generation. Thus, a considerable amount of agricultural biodiversity is still being conserved in-situ. The importance of genetic diversity in the increase of agricultural production need not be overemphasised. Peasant farmers, who practice traditional farming systems, for centuries, have conserved landrace genetic materials in-situ and a considerable amount of it is still present. Off course, especially during the last 50 years due to artificial and natural calamities (war, drought and pests) plants, animals and ecosystems have been seriously affected by genetic erosion. Currently, to increase production for food self-sufficiency, the government started to implement new farming system (Integrated Farming System Tumur Hirsha) since 1997 and appropriate measures should be taken to prevent agro biodiversity decline. Thus, the present capacity of ex-situ storage of crop genetic resources must be strengthened and supplemented by a strong in-situ conservation program through appropriate projects. N.I. Vavilov visited the northern highlands of Ethiopia, including Eritrea, in 1927. His writing confirmed these areas as one of the Vavilovian centres of diversity for a number of crops. These include, among others, barley, emmet, other tetraploid wheat, oats, flux, safflower, chickpea, lentil, grass pea, pea, horse bean, rape and mustard 8. Taft and noog are believed to be Abyssinian domesticates 9, which include mainly the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea. A wild progenitor of cultivated taft known as E. pilosa is found in Eritrea, and other wild species could also exist in Eritrea. Although noog used to be grown widely in the central highlands of Eritrea in the past, its cultivation has now diminished quite significantly. Eritrea is one of the possible areas of domestication for cultivated sorghum, the major crop in the country. The north east quadrant of Africa below the Sahara in the Ethiopio Sudan region, which definitely includes Eritrea, is the region where the greatest variation of the genus Sorghum is found l°, and this stl:ongly implies that Eritrea is a possible centre of origin for'cultivated sorghum. ' Harlan,J.(1969). Econonic Botany 23, pp309 313 ' Et.al m Dogget, H.(1988). Sorghum, 2 ed,.Longman Scientific and Technical DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSIFY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 21 THE STATUS OF B[ODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Work on the collection and conservation of crop species in Eritrea started in 1905 with the start of some research activities at the Agricultural Research Station at Paradiso in Asmara u. Thereafter, information has also been documented for important cereals as indicated below: * A monograph of cereals collected in Eritrea 12. · Classification of wheat varieties collected in Eritrea and Ethiopia 13. · Classification of taft 14. · Classification of barley 15. · Studies on various food crops mldo6qerplantsofec x mc glownin Eritrea in research stations and observation sites between 1905 - 1938 6. After independence, the Government of Efitrea initiated the establishment of a Plant Gene Bank, administered under the Ministry of Agriculture, for the collection and documentation of local Eritrean landraces. The Gene Bank now holds more than 1200 accessions of cereals, legumes and oil crops. Sorghum: The most diverse cereal crop in Eritrea "Brrdi, G (editor), 1947 Rome. lstituto Agricolo Coloniale Fircnze "L'agricultura nella colonia Eritrca e ['opera dell'Italia" ' Chiovenda, E, 1912 La collezione dci cereali della Colonia Eritrea Monogr e Rapp Colon Roma ' Vavdov, N.I., 1929 Wheats of Ethiopia Bulletin of applied Botany, Genetics and Plant Breeding 20:224 356 ' Cifem, R and Baldrati, I 1939 I cereali dell'Africa ltaliana II "Tefr' (Eragrostis teff) Firenze, 1939 - XVIII ' Cifem, R, 1940 Saggio di classificazione degli orzi con spciale riguardo a quelli Etiopici Firenze, Italia 29 Ottobre 1940 XIX "Baldrati.l, 1950 Tratlato delle Coltivazioni tropicali e subtropicali pp 1-615. Editore, Ulrico Hoepli. Milano. 1950. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MIN[STRY OF LAND. WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 22 Ill[ q I\lt N ()F } I(IDIVI!RSITY IN ERITREA Wheat: Commonly growp in the highlands of Eritrea Livestock:- The production system of subsistence farmers is mostly agro-pastoralism and mixed fanning , parallel to crops, and has a great importance in the economy of the people. In Eritrea there is great livestock diversity. There are four indigenous breeds of cattle. The two major indigenous breeds are Barka and Arado found in the western lowlands and central highlands respectively. There are also other two types of cattle such as the Dowhen and Arebo located in the north-western and eastern lowlands respectively. Barka has a great potential for future production improvement through breeding programs. The most commonly reared indigenous types of goats are Langae, Hasani, Merebae and Habab. All are found in the north, north and south western lowlands of the country. These axe famous for their high milk yield, which ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 litres per day. There are also many types of indigenous sheep. Some of them are Gerej, and Dereshawit, both found in the north eastern part of Gash-Barka region; Hamale, found in the Northern Red Sea region and the Shmejana sheep are found in the southern region of the country. There are two types of donkeys, the lowland donkey (Rifa'i). and the highland donkey. Mules and horses are confined to the central highlands. The widely known camel types are the Ariri, Arho and Rashaldi. They are distributed in the Gash-Barka, Anseba and Northern and Southern Red Sea regions. Poultry production and bee keeping are important livestock production activities. The local poultry breeds are non-descript where feather colours, body sizes and productivity are varied. However, adequate knowledge about the types of bird varieties that exist in the country is not well established. Although the local birds are not high yielding, they could be improved through breeding with exotic varieties and better management practices. It is estimated that there are 1.13 million indigenous poultry population in the country. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 23 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Bee keeping is also a very important activity. Bee colonies are mainly found in the central highlands and in the eastern and western escarpments; bees are managed mostly under traditional system but modem hives are being introduced in order to improve the quality and quantity of honey and wax production. No work has been done so far to gather information about the types of bee that exist in the country. From a biodiversity point of view, this is an important task to be carried out in the future. Bees are important not only for the production of honey and wax but also ecologically important in the transfer of pollen between plants. At present, the diversity of indigenous livestock species is relatively intact - all breeds are still widely distributed, population numbers are increasing and the rate of introduction of improved stock from overseas is low. However, there is a need to characterise the indigenous breeds more clearly as part of the national livestock improvement program in order to guarantee that the best characters of the different varieties can be sustained for future breeding work. Dowhen Cattle: Common breed in the north western and eastern lowlands of Eritma DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENX IRONMENT ERITREA BIOI)IVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 24 IIIE STAT[ rs OF BIOI)IVERSITY IN ERITR]:\ 3J Deresh Sheep: Common types Nara Sheep: Common types in North-Eastem part of Gash Barka Zone in the Gash Barka Zone x,̧ ArM Camel: Common in Gash-Barka Zone of Eritrea DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 25 ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL POLICY, LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK SECTION 4 ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL POLICY, LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK IN VIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION A detailed assessment of the present policy, legislative and institutional framework for overall environmental protection, and biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in particular, is provided in a separate report: "Assessment of the NationaI Policy, Legislative and Institutional Framework and its Implications for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use", which was prepared as part of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. This report is summafised below. 4.1 National Constitution The National Constitution of the State of Eritrea was ratified on 23 May 1997. Article 6 states that "unity in diversity" is a basic principle guiding national development objectives. Article 8 mandates the State to work for sustainable development and to "manage land, air, water and natural resources in a balanced and sustainable manner" and to "secure the participation of the people in safeguarding the environment". The Constitution thus provides the foundation for a national development policy based on sustainable principles and the maintenance of diversity. 4.2 National Development Policy The National Development Plan of the State of Eritrea has recently been revised and updated as the National Economic Policy Framework and Program (NEPFAP), covering the period 1998 - 2000. NEPFAP provides a framework for implementation of the Macro-Policy Statement of November 1994 and contains many statements which influence biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. The NEPFAP is clear in its major development policy. This is: · "to rebuild the war-ravaged economy"; by · "establishing the legal, social and institutional framework required.jbr achieving rapid economic, social, cultural and political development "; with · "a strong focus on developing human capital intentally and through the return ()f Eritreans currently residing overseas "; thus · "creating an enabling policy environment for private sector development to generate a private sector-led market economy". (Source: adapted fi-omNEPFAP; Page 1 2; 11). The Macro-Policy Statement was the most important statement guiding national development between 1994 1998 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRy OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ER[TREA BIODIVERSITy STRATEGy AND ACTION PLAN: 26 ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL POLICY, LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK Environmental policy and biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilisation must work in harmony with this overall development policy. The NEPFAP itself contains a number of strong statements about environmental policy, notably the following: · "restoration, enhancement, andpreservation of Eritrea's ecological integrity ". This objective is to be achieved through: · "prudent utilisation of land, forest, air and water resources; · establishment of sound environmental standards;; · introduction of sustainable land management practices; · adoption and implementation of a comprehensive national environmental policy framework; · sustainable exploitation of Eritrea'sfishery resources; and · monitoring andprotection ofEritrea's Red Sea coastline ". The newly-established Ministry of Land, Water and Environment, "in collaboration with other relevant agencies of government and the private sector", is identified as taking a leading role in "protecting, restoring and enhancing the environment", also with "developmg standards, and taking steps to ensure that environmentally sustainable practices are pursued in Eritrea's economic endeavours". (Source: NEPFAP, adapted from page 33-37). NEPFAP also lays out the policy objectives and strategy for the main economic sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, energy and mining, tourism, infrastructure, health and education. 4.3 Implications of the National Development Policy for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use Achieving the multiple objectives set out in NEPFAP represents a major challenge to the government, the private sector and the people of Eritrea. In many other countries, rapid economic growth has, historically, been incompatible with "restoration, enhancement and preservation of ecological integrity", for the simple reason that economic growth has been achieved through the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources and a decline in overall environmental quality, especially biodiversity. For this not to happen in Eritrea, practical mechanisms must t>e round to resolve the potential conflict between pure expafision of the economy and a more balanced form of social and economic development, thus ensuring a pathway towards sustalnability. Each of the different sectors of the economy has the potential to have either positive or DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODWERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 27 ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL POLICY, LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK negative impacts on biodiversity and sustainable use through the implementation of their development program. The majority of the sectors have stated, explicitly or implicitly, that environmental protection will be a part of their development program, But, achieving economic expansion and environmental protection at the same time will be a difficult challenge, requiring extensive consultation and collaboration between different sectors. The NBSAP, if implemented properly, can provide a framework for achieving this reconciliation. 4.4 Legislative framework for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use At independence, all Ethiopian and other residual legislation was repealed. This created a legislative "vacuum" which the Government has been working to fill. The legislative framework for the State of Eritrea is in a process of rapid development. In the interim period, different government sectors are operating on the basis of (temporary) Legal Notices, Directives and Regulations, whilst working to prepare their formal legislation (Proclamations). A remarkable feature of the social cohesion of the country at present is that, even in the absence of formal legislation, hunting, poaching, unauthorised cutting of trees, etc. are not serious threats to biodiversity in most parts of the country. At present, there is no formal environmental legislation for Eritrea - an Environment Proclamation is in preparation by the Department of Environment. Previous draft forms of the Environment Proclamation and a Biodiversity Proclamation have been subjected to further in depth review. The absence of formal environmental legislation does not mean that the environment, including biodiversity, has no legal status. Recently promulgated legislation for other sectors contains a number of key articles, which have the potential to provide strong protection for the environment and biodiversity. These are summarised briefly here, in chronological order of gazettement. Proclamation to Reform the System of Land Tenure in Eritrea, to Determine the Manner of Expropriating Land for Purposes of Development and National Reconstruction, and to Determine the Powers and Duties of the Land Commission No.58/1994 This proclamation defines the Government's ownership of all land, with only usufructary rights for individuals. This gives the Government great power to use land in ways which can have positive or negative impacts on biodiversity. Under Article 50 of this proclamation, the Government can appropriate land for "forestry and animal conservation projects", amongst others. There have been long delays in implementing this proclamation, which has the potential to improve land management with respect to biodiversity by eliminating the traditional diesa land management system that does not encourage tree planting and maintenance. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 28 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ER[TREA Proclamation to Promote the Development of Mineral Resources No. 68/1995 This Proclamation, in association with the Regulations of Mining Operations (Legal Notice 19/1995), provides the framework for the development of both commercial and artisanal mining in Eritrea; this includes extraction of mineral waters, bnne and geothermal energy. The legislation lays out some general requirements for environmental management and protection which, if fully implemented and enforced, would ensure that mining operations do not have unnecessary negative impacts on biodiversity. The legislation is, however, only as strong as compliance and enforcement allow it to be. In addition the legislation contains exemption clauses which effectively make all environmental protection subject to decisions of the Licensing Authority. Regulations on Petroleum Operations Legal Notice No. 24/1995 These Regulations lay down the framework for development of the petroleum industry in Eritrea. Environmental protection is covered comprehensively in Article 11: Environment, Pollution Control and Safety Measures. This legislation has the potential to provide strong protection of the environment if well implemented. One potential weakness of the legislation, from a biodiversity perspective, is the lack of an explicit requirement of regular reporting of biodiversity monitoring data, which could be used to monitor environmental performance. Proclamation 72/1995: A Proclamation to Provide for the Control of the Business Licensing System and for the Establishment of a Business Licensing Office. This legislation creates a framework for regulation of the growing small-scale business sector in Eritrea and gives a wide range of powers to different "competent regulatory authorities". The main role of the Business Licensing Office (BLO) is to act as "clearing house" for license applications. The distribution of National Environmental Assessment Procedures and Guidelines by the Ministry of Land Water and Environment in June 1999 requires the acquisition of environmental clearance by project owners, without which the BLO is not expected to issue business licenses. From a biodiversity perspective, threats might arise from location of businesses in relatively biodiverse habitat, or from unsustainable utilisation of natural resources. Proclamation for the Establishment of Local Governments No. 86/1996 This Proclamation is an important part of the Government's policy of regional decentralisation of administration and, more importantly, control and implementation of development policy; this has major implications for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. This Proclamation lays down clear responsibilities for environmental protection at the regional level and highlights the need to ensure that any policy for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use is implemented at the same level of decentraiisation as the rest of the national development program. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRy OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERrFRF..A BIODIVERSrFY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 29 ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL POLICY, LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK The Press Proclamation No 90/1996 The Press Proclamation provides a legal framework for freedom of information within Eritrea. There are a number of restraints however, which seem to require that the majority of information about biodiversity, and the environment in general, be generated and disseminated by Eritrean-owned private businesses, or through Government agencies, with the Ministry of Information playing an important supervisory role. The Ministry of Information has the potential to be a major facilitator of the dissemination of biodiversity-related information and those sectors concerned with biodiversity conservation and sustainable use should work closely with this Ministry. Fisheries Proclamation No 104/1998 The legislation covering the fisheries sector comprises two Proclamations and five Legal Notices (Regulations), all promulgated in May 1998. These laws provide compreb'msive coverage of the marine sector in Eritrea and contain a number of Articles relevant to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. From a biodiversity perspective, the legislation covering the fisheries sector is quite comprehensive. The largest potential weaknesses lie in the lack of clarity with regard to integration of the responsibilities of the Ministry of Fisheries with other government sectors in sustainable coastal management. This could lead to some problems of co-ordination and also restrict ability to respond to broader sectoral interests. This weakness could be reduced if the composition of the Fisheries Advisory Council were broadened, at least to include the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment. In addition, the mechanism for the creation of protected species and protected areas is not described fully - without a formal procedure, this part of the legislation may be difficult to put into practice. Draft Legislation At present, there are only draft laws for the water sector, the forest and wildlife sector and the environment. Until these laws are promulgated, biodiversity conservation in Eritrea may be critically weak - finalisation of these laws and their promulgation must be a priority for the relevant sectors. I)EPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT M[NISTRY OF LAND, WATER AN[) ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 30 THE PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS OF THE STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN SECTION 5 THE PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS OF THE STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN As described above in Section 3, the NBSAP process has been undertaken mostly within three core areas (Terrestrial, Marine and Agricultural biodiversity). This reflects the need to fit with the existing institutional structure; however, careful attention has been paid to those issues which cut across different core areas. The principal components of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan are the statements that comprise the Goal, Objectives, Strategic Elements and Actions of the Plan. These statements form an internally consistent, closely linked hierarchy that creates a logical pathway from high-level principles to activities on the ground. Table 3. The hierarchy of terms used for the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Term Definition Example Goal Ultimate end point - where we want to Conservation of Eritrea's be but not easily measured biological diversity improved Objective A sub-set of the overall goal, 100 ha of degraded land restricted to a defined more easily rehabilitated for use as quantified end-point conservation area Strategy A broad level description of the Planting of indigenous tree mechanism by which an objective is seedlings in named closure areas achieved Activities The individual steps which have to be Establish nursery, germinate taken to implement a strategy seedlings; plant out; employ teams for planting and watering DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVE?,SITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 3 l TI [ES [ATUS OF BIOI)IVERSITY IN ER [TREA 5.1 Goal The overall goal of the Eritman National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is as follows: "The overall biodiversity of Eritrea restored, conserved and managed so that it provides environmental services and natural resources that contribute to sustainable and socially /'air national economic development". The goal makes clear the "desired endpoint" of the NBSAP following implementation, and reflects three major elements of the overall environmental situation in Eritrea which merit special mention: · the need for environmental recovery from the overall degradation of natural resources generated by the long struggle for independence, periodic and severe drought conditions; · the need for active intervention, in the form of environmental management, in order to increase the benefits flowing from biodiverse natural resources to the national economy; · recognition that there exists a potentially complementary relationship between national economic development, people and biodiversity. This overall goal will be achieved if the Action Plan outlined in this document is fully and successfully implemented. It is expected that this will occur within the next 10 years, with the majority of the activities being substantially put in place within the next 5 years. It is recognised that some activities, such as planting of indigenous trees, will not yield their full biodiversity benefits within a 10-year time frame, even if full implementation has occurred. 5.2 Objectives A major objective for each core area has been developed and is presented here. Each major objective provides the key linkage between the overall goal and the strategic elements that guide the activities to be undertaken by different sectors. The major objective for each core area is given below: 5.2.1 Terrestrial Biodiversity "Rehabilitation of degraded terrestrial ecosystems and their components through a combination of natural succession; protected area establishment and management; and sustainable use of terrestrial biodiversity resources". DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 32 THE PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS OF THE STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN 5.2.2 Marine Biodiversity "The coastal, marine and island biodiversity of Eritrea conserved and human activity managed to promote the sustainable development and optimal use of these resources". 5.2.3 Agricultural Biodiversity "Agricultural biodiversity-resources conserved and utilised sustainable for food security, income generation and agriculture, whilst ensuring the socially-fair distribution of benefits arising from the use of national agricultural biodiversity resources". The three objectives above provide the first layer of elaboration of the overall biodiversity goal, making the goal statement more relevant to each of the three core areas, and providing the link to the strategic elements below. The objectives provide one level at which quantification of the overall success of the strategy could be measured, although the lack of strong baseline data will make objective quantification of success difficult. Each of the three main objectives needs to be further "broken down" into a number of strategic elements - these strategic elements represent the major areas of activity for implementation of the NBSAP and provide a better basis for monitoring and evaluation. 5.3 Strategic Elements The strategic elements of the NBSAP form the linkage between the major objective for each core area and the activities that will be undertaken in order to fulfil the objective. The strategic elements "breakdown" the objective into a series of more practically oriented statements which better "fit" the institutional structure of the implementing agencies. For convenience and clarity, the strategic elements have been reduced to 10 headings or themes. The themes may have more or less relevance to the three core areas and thus may contain none, one or more elements. The 10 themes are: · Integrated management · Sustainable use of natural resources · Alien invasive species · Pollution management DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 33 THE PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS OF THE STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN · ln-situ conservation (protected areas) · Ex situ conservation · Taxonomic knowledge · Information acquisition and storage; · Public awareness and education; · Legal and institutional structure (capacity building). The strategic elements for each core area are presented below. Each strategic element will be implemented through the activities to which it is linked. Some activities are existing components of government programs, or other activities undertaken by government or private agencies. Some strategic elements may lead directly to a single institution and even a single activity, but in many cases, the strategic element will be achieved successfully only through the implementation of a number of inter-linked activities, possibly involving a range of different institutions - here, the strategic element "binds together" the individual activities of different sectors and creates the framework for greater collaboration. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 34 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA SECTION 6 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY Terrestrial biodiversity is defined, for the purposes of the NBSAP, as all land area still dominated by "relatively natural habitats". This includes those areas which are used as unimproved range land and also areas with Iow density human presence (small settlements and agriculture in a predominantly unaltered landscape) - this may comprise around 75% of the total land area. The review is arranged under the 10 strategic themes for each strategic theme, the existing situation, needs and NBSAP activities are presented. 6.1 Integrated management Existing situation: Integrated management of natural terrestrial habitat for biodiversity objectives is not occurring in Eritrea at present. The fundamental reasons for this are: (i) lack of a centralised national database containing the necessary physico-geographical and sociological information; (ii) lack of adequate information about the biodiversity status of large parts of the country; and (iii) a relatively new central and regional administration with little practical experience of planning at this scale. This places severe limitations on the amount of large-scale planning and integrated decision-making which can be undertaken at present. In spite of these limitations, a number of separate activities demonstrate that, in the future, integrated, landscape-level biodiversity management may become more effective in Eritrea. These are discussed below. (i) Establishment of a national land capability classification scheme The Department of Land, Ministry of Land, Water and Environment intends to extend its pilot land classification scheme to the whole country. The scheme is based on 8 land-use categories, derived from field estimates of slope; soil depth; soil texture; erosion hazard; drainage class; stoniness; and management type. Pilot surveys undertaken around Asmara have been used to create land-use plans, which include zonation for residential, commercial, industrial, arable and conservation purposes. It is difficult to see how the existing labour-intensive scheme can be extrapolated to the entire country, but a similar scheme making more use of remote sensed data and including some simple biodiversity indicators might provide a useful basis for integrated planning I. The landclassificationschemeplansto includeconservationareasasoneof its landcategorisations(see in situconservation). DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERI I'P.EA BIODIVEb SITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 35 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA (ii) Increased digitization of other planning information A number of ministries in Eritrea are now digitising information in the form of GIS databases. For example, the Department of Mines maintains an accurate GIS map of all mining concession areas (the only mining actually taking place at present is small-scale artisanal), and the Ministry of Local Government has assembled a GIS map of all villages. Outside of Eritrea, there is much information being digitized. The University of Berne, Switzerland has compiled a 23-layer GIS database of topography, watercourses, roads, etc. whilst biologists at the Deutsches Pfimatenzentrum, Gottingen are assisting the FWD of MOA to initiate mapping of mammal and bird distributions. (iii) Increased levels of coordinated planning at central and regional level As the 6 new regional administrations become established and fully-staffed, the level of integrated planning which can take place at the landscape and regional levels will increase. Central government ministries should support regional administrations by ensuring that national-level information and technical assistance is available to the developing administrations. (iv) Small-scale integrated management projects The government is gaining experience in implementing projects at a landscape level. From a biodiversity perspective, the most important of these are: · MoA/SOS Sahel project: Assessment and Management of Riverine Forests, which has now gathered the information required for long-term sustainable management of the Gash and Barka riverine forests, a key biodiversity "pressure point"; long term funding for implementation of the management plan is now required. · The MoA closures policy, which covers 192,734 ha. of land, also has the potential to develop into a major feature of the national biodiversity action plan. · The DANIDA/MoA Integrated Watershed Development Project has also established watershed closures, where after being treated, natural regeneration of indigenous vegetation is reported to be occurring. The project has also planted over 500,000 tree seedlings on 655 ha in hillside terraces, but most of these were exotic species. · The GEF/MoF project, Conservation Management of Eritrea's Coastal, Marine and Island Biodiversity is about to begin implementation; this project will include the coastal plains region, which comprises over 50% of the total land area of Eritrea. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODWERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 36 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY Needs: The NBSAP should support and guide the emerging capacity for integrated environmental management by ensuring that information about biodiversity status is available for all planning and project implementation activities decisions. This would be best achieved by ensuring that national biodiversity objectives, such as establishing a representative set of protected areas, are translated into appropriate regional activities. Biodiversity related goals may be best achieved by providing the right kind of biodiversity information to other decision-makers, and through the careful modification of existing programmes, rather than through generation of new isolated projects which may over-stretch the limited capacity of implementing authorities. The NBSAP should support community participation in the decision-making process as to the areas that are to be designated as closure or wildlife protected areas (see Section 6.5). The community should be involved in the management of the closures/wildlife protected areas. Strategy: To improve integration of biodiversity conservation into integrated land management. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Improved land classification Dept of Land/DoE, , On-going Needs and zonation by completion of (MLWE) additional National Land Capability fund Classification (ii) Integrated watershed MoA/DANIDA On-going DANIDA development by expansion of support programme MoA/DANIDA programme to other watersheds (iii) Integrated Management of MoA/Regional Planned Needs Riverine Forests through Administration funding implementation of management Gash Barka plan produced by AMRF project (iv) Completion and MoA/MLWE On-going IGAD/ implementation of National DANIDA Action Plan for Combating Desertification DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 37 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA 6.2 Sustainable use of natural resources Existing situation: Natural resources still play a vital role in the economy of the majority of the population. Almost 80% of total energy consumption is from biomass, mostly as fuelwood/char¢oal. About 70 - 80% of the population is dependent upon agriculture and many local communities use wild plants for a range of domestic purposes and to supplement incomes, e.g. doum palm (Hyphaene thebaica) and gaba (Ziryphus spina christa). Natural resources, in the form of attractive landscapes, etc. can make a large contribution to the tourist sector if they are not spoilt by careless development. The pressure on existing natural resources, already weakened by drought and war, is intense. Striking a balance between demand and the need to restrict use to allow regeneration of the resources is a major challenge for the government and the people. A decrease in the pressure on natural resources can be brought about either by increasing the supply of the resource (supplementation) or by providing alternatives to reduce use of the resource (substitution). Increases in indigenous terrestrial biodiversity can only occur slowly in Eritrea, due to the constraints imposed by large water deficits (evapo transpiration:rainfall ratios of >4) and poor soils. This places a relatively low upper limit on the rate at which "supplies" of natural resources can be increased - thus resource substitution is essential to relieve pressure on natural diversity. Among the most important existing initiatives undertaken by the government are the following: (i) Fuelwood substitution: The government has made major commitments to increasing alternative energy resources. The Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) depot at Massawa has been rehabilitated; tariffs on LPG, kerosene and electricity are kept low; the new Hirgigo power station will increase electricity supply by 50% when it is commissioned whilst a rural electrification programme will extend electricity to villages around major towns; and solar and wind power research programmes are underway. A recent pilot project to produce fuel briquettes from cotton stalk waste from the Alighider Estate has the potential to replace 40,000 quintals 2 of fuelwood; the Alighider Estate can produce enough cotton waste to supply 10 such projects, replacing 40,000 MT of fuelwood. (ii) Afforestation: The FWD of the MoA is responsible for the establishment of new plantations and the reforestation of existing forest areas. To date, a total of 21,163 ha of new plantations have been established, whilst a further 192,734 ha of existing forest is under controlled regeneration. The MoA/DAN[DA National Tree Seed Project has a long-term objective of "improved wood production and provision of other benefits from growing woody plants, contributing to the rehabilitation of degraded environments and help meeting the national requirements for timber, poles, fuel, fodder, food and shelter in Eritrea" through "the provision of genetically suitable seed and plant material of good physiological quality from selected seed sources of both indigenous and exotic woody : I quintal is equal to lOOkg. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 38 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA species to meet the present and future needs for tree planting activities in Eritrea in a sustainable way, by strengthening national institutional capacity". Community participation in soil and water conservation work in Eritrea Regeneration of vegetative cover on hillsides DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRy OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT EI ,ITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 39 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Strategy 1: Reduction of pressure on plants in natural habitat through promotion of alternative fuels. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding -I (Lead Institution Ongoing or and other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Implementation of wood-fuel MoA/MEM Planned Needs substitution projects funding (ii) Increased use of improved MEM Ongoing traditional stoves (ii) Increased use of cotton Alighider Estate Ongoing GoE briquettes Strategy 2: To increase production of wood-fuel from "converted habitat". Activities: , Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) National Tree Planting MoA/MoE/ Ongoing Needs 'Campaign MoLG/MoD additional funding (ii) Afforestation via summer MoA/MoE Ongoing Needs School Programme additional funding (iii) Encouraging trees and MoA Ongoing Needs farming system (tree cultivation additional and management - community funding forestry); DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 40 THE STATUS OF RIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Strategy 3: Promotion of the economic benefits to be derived from non destructive utilization of trees, etc. in natural habitat. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Survey of traditional plant Moll/WHO Planned Needs medicinal use; potential for proposal; also UoA funding commercial production project (ii) Sustainable use of Doum palm MoA, AMRF Planned Needs project funding (iii) Sustainable use of Gum MoM MTI On-going Needs Arabic and Resin production from additional Boswellia trees funding (iv) Survey of distribution and MoA/MoLG/MTI Planned Needs regeneration of Boswellia funding papyrifera (v) Increased honey production MoA Planned Needs through promotion of use of new funding hives 6.3 Alien invasive species Existing situation: Eritrea is in danger of being over-run by alien invasive plant species. The fragile and degraded ecology of much of the landscape provides great opportunities for alien invasive plant species to establish themselves and spread. Although less significant at the moment, the spread of annual "weeds" is also likely to occur, as demonstrated by the colonization of the Massawa area by the Indian House Crow (Comus splendens) since its introduction in 1970. Four alien species can be identified as being of major concern to natural habitat at present: Beles (Opuntia ficus-indica); Asha Ghereb (Nicotiana glauca); Temr musa (Prosopis chiliensis) and Bano (Xanthium (spinosum) strumarium). All four species have shown an ability to spread aggressively into natural habitats. Opuntia ficus-indica is estimated to cover over 10,000 ha. of the Central Highlands and is now spreading in the western lowlands. Nicotiana glauca has spread rapidly into a range of habitats in the last 20 years, especially on disturbed soils near roads, dams, etc.. Prosopis chiliensis is believed to have spread spontaneously into Eritrea from the SUdan and is now encroaching into the fiverine habitats of Gash-Barka. Prosopis is also establishing itself naturally on the eastern coast around Massawa following its deliberate introduction there. Xanthium spinosum is widespread at the interface between agricultural land and natural habitat and can be used as an indicator of degraded land. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA IMODIVEI{SITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 41 I'HE STATUS OF B[ODIVERSITY IN ERITREA To date, little action has been taken to study or control the spread of these (or other) plant species. Although immediate "eradication" may not be advisable (or possible) because of the positive socioeconomic role played by these species (e.g. harvest of Opuntia fruits; use of Prosopis for fodder and fuelwood), these species may represent a significant threat to the maintenance of representative natural habitat in the longer-term future. Needs: The most urgent need is to establish the baseline distribution and rate of spread of ail major alien invasive species. This is probably best achieved through surveys co ordinated through the Ministry of Local Government and the Regional Administrations. A second priority is to become familiar with potential control options. Successful control of alien invasive species is not an easy or speedily-achieved task. Widely spread species can usually only be controlled cost-effectively using a combination of chemical and biological control. The major alien plant species in Eritrea am all serious pests elsewhere (in Africa) and there exists much experience with control from other countries. This experience is available through the scientific and 'grey' literature and through direct contacts with relevant experts. For example, South Africa has long experience with integrated biological and chemical control of Opuntia spp., including O. ficus-indica. Informal contacts have already provided information about biological control methods which can be made specific to wild-spreading Opuntia ficus-indica whilst having no impact on (spineless) cultivated varieties. Strategy: To increase capacity for the control of alien invasive species within Eritrea. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding 1 (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Survey of distribution and MoA/MLWE/UoA Planned Needs spread of selected alien invasive funding species and their economic/social benefits; (ii) Collection of information on MoA/MLWFd UoA Planned Needs control methods of known and funding potential invasive and exotic species; (iii) The human resources of MoA On-going Needs quarantine and services at points additional of entry am to be strengthened funding and improved. All imported varieties of crops to be quarantined at MoA Research Station before release to farmers DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISIRY OF LAN[), WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 42 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA 6.4 Pollution management Existing situation: At present, pollution does not represent a severe threat to biodiversity in Eritrea. The nature and scale of current industrial activity in Eritrea is not sufficient to have a direct impact on any natural areas of major biodiversity interest. At independence, there were only 42 large scale (public) and 650 small-scale (private) industries in the country, mostly confined to Asmara, Massawa, Dekemhare and Keren. Similarly, the virtual absence of chemical inputs into agriculture means that, at present, little threat to terrestrial biodiversity arises from agricultural practices. In fact, some of Eritrea's most interesting wildlife, especially birds, may be found close to agricultural landscapes. This is almost certainly due to the need to share a common, scarce resource - water. Pollution management is still developing in Eritrea after years of neglect of the industrial sector. All new industrial projects must pass through the National Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures and Guidelines which are now being implemented, although legislation for enforcement of EIA is not yet promulgated (except in the mining and petroleum sectors). The environmental impact assessment procedures and guidelines contain sufficient screening to adequately protect biodiversity from pollution impacts, especially if project location is carefully chosen and appropriate environmental performance standards are put in place. Needs: An urgent need is the rapid implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures and Guidelines, even in the absence of full legal status. This will bring immediate returns in terms of improved protection of biodiversity and, at the same time, provide an important opportunity for government agencies to become familiar with the procedures and allow time for modifications to be made prior to implementation under law. An overall strengthening of capacity for environmental regulation is also needed. This should occur in all relevant ministries, not just the DoE, and should be based on building knowledge of cost-effective mechanisms for improved environmental performance, not "command and control" regulations. Strategy: To increase protection of Biodiversity resources from pollution. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Survey of hazardous MLWE Planned Needs chemicals used in Eritrea funding (ii) To develop control MLWE Planned Needs procedures for hazardous funding chemicals used in Eritrea DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 43 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA 6.5 In-situ conservation (protected areas) Existing situation: Eritrea does not have a formal protected area system at present. Historical protected areas established under colonial regimes have not been maintained and no longer' have any legal status. A number of new sites have been prioritised for increased conservation and management but no legislation exists under which a protected area can be gazetted, except perhaps the Land Proclamation 58/19943 and the Fisheries Proclamation 104/19984 . There is some ambiguity over which ministries have the mandate for creation of protected areas. The responsibility for management of protected areas is also not clearly defined in law. This lack of legal authority has slowed progress towards establishing protected areas and should be clarified as soon as possible. In the absence of formal legislation, the MoA has, in collaboration with local communities established over 192,734 ha. of closures. Closures are areas of land, ranging in size from 1 ha. to 40,000 ha. which are "set aside" from human use for an extended period (some are permanent, some are temporary) in order to allow natural regeneration or replanting to occur and for trees to grow beyond grazing height. In places where the rainfall has been normal or better, these closures are showing clear signs of regeneration and improved water infiltration to feed springs which flow for longer into the dry season. Needs: The legal responsibilities and procedures for gazettment of protected areas must be clarified as soon as possible. This is a major limiting factor to any progress in the creation of protected areas. In the interim, survey work to document biodiversity significance of high priority sites should continue, as can the local consultations required to ensure that increased biodiversity conservation is compatible with other social requirements. In addition to survey of priority sites, knowledge of the conservation needs of particular species should also be improved through "targeted surveys". The ecological survey work and community consultation undertaken by the MoA on the globally threatened African Wild Ass (Equus africanus) around Ila Isa can serve as a model for this kind of activity. It should be a priority to survey the open uplands around Senafe area in order to establish the current status and conservation management needs of the 13 regional endemic bird species likely to occur in Eritrea s. 3 Article 50. Expropriation from Usufructaries: empowers the government to expropriate land for (amongst other reasons) agricultural development, including all land, forestry and animal conservation projects. ' Article 13: Protected Areas: describes the powers of the Minister to create protected areas and the implications of protected area status. 5This is close to the on-going border conflict with Ethiopia and it is not practical to undertake this kind of survey work art present. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODI,VERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 44 THE STATUS OF B[ODIVERS[TY IN ERITREA Strategy: Formalization of the process for establishing protected areas system appropriate for the current and future Eritrean conditions by establishing a working group of MoA, MoF and MLWE (and others) to harmonize policy/legislation on protected areas. Activities: Activity i Responsibility Priority Funding l Unding (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Plarned Needs (i) The preservation of the flora MoA/MI,WE/ Planned Needs and fauna through identification, MoLG funding survey and border demarcation of representative protected area(s) in the Central and Northern Highlands i (ii) Identification, stn'vey and MoA/MLWE/ Planned Needs demarcation of protected areas in MoLD funding Semenawi & Debubawi Bahri (iii) Identification, survey and Mo MLWE/ Planned Needs border demarcation of MoLG funding representative protected area(s) for the Western Lowlands (e.g. North Setit frekeze) River: Elephant preserve; Greater Kudu, : Tragelaphus strepsiceros; Duiker, Cephalophus sp.; Warthog, Phacochaeros aethiopicus ) (iv) IdentificationS-survey and MoA/MLWE/ Planned Neea border demarcation of MoF/MoLG I funding representative protected area(s) for the Eastern Lowlands (e.g. North Eastern Dankalia (Bud peninsula): Ostrich, Struthio sp; Soemmering's gaZelle, Gazella soemmeringii; Dorcas gazelle, G. dorcas; Wild ass, Equus equus) DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAN[), WATER AND ENV[RONMENT ERI IREA BIOI)IVIERSITY STRATEGY AND ACllON PLAN 45 THE SIAI'US OF BIOI)IVERS[TY IN ER[TREA (v) Identification, survey and MoF/MoA/ML Planned Needs border demarcation of WE/MoLG funding representative protected area(s) for the Red Sea Coastal Zone (e.g. Islands proposed for national parks: Sciumma; Black Assarca; Dissei) (vi) Improved biodiversity MoA/MLWE/ On-going Needs benefits associated with closure MoLG additional programmes by formalization of funding selection criteria for closures; increased monitoring of established closures; establishment of new closures I (vii) Increased documentation cf MoA/MLWFd Planned Needs trans-boundary species in Eritrea MoLG funding and increased collaboration with appropriate international agencies through exchange of information on migratory species between relevant in-country and international organizations i 6.6 Ex-situ conservation Existing situation: There are no ex-situ facilities for terrestrial or marine plant or animal wildlife in Eritrea. There is no botanical garden, no herbarium, no aquarium facilities and no natural history museum. The "Zoo" at Asmara is very poorly maintained. The conditions under which animals are kept are well below acceptable levels and the mis labelling and lack of information means that the establishment serves no useful biodiversity education role. Needs: Although there are no terrestrial species in Eritrea which are known to be in need of ex-situ conservation (within Eritrea) in order to conserve the species from global extinction, some poorly-known species may need ex-situ conservation. However, lack of information about distribution and status prevents informed decision-making. There is a growing need for ex-sim conservation of some locally-threatened species, especially plants and fish. A national botanical garden and a national aquarium could fulfil both conservation and an educational role simultaneously. The "Zoo" should either be extensively improved to also fulfil lahisrole or should be closed down. DEPAgTMENT OF ENVIR<)NMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AN[) ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIOD1VERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 46 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Stra gy: To Increase biodiversity benefits arising from ex-situ conservation facifities. Acti ies: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding !Funding (Lead Institution and Ongoing and Other Agency Collaborators) or Planned Needs (i) Preparation of a feasibility study MoA/MLWE/UoA Planned Needs for the establishment of Zoological funding and Botanic Gardens; Natural History Museum; Aquarium 6.7 Taxonomic knowledge Existing situation: The level of modem scientific taxonomic knowledge about biodiversity in Eritrea is very weak. There are no comprehensive reference collections for any major taxon, although small collections are maintained in some sections of the MoA. There are few up-to-date checklists for animals or plants; the existing lists have been compiled in the National Biodiversity Stocktaking Assessment and are slowly being updated by MoA, plus visiting experts. There are few identification keys, field guidebooks and binoculars available to assist staff to conduct surveys in the field. The absence of these "cornerstones" of practical biodiversity documentation represent a major limiting factor on effective biodiversity management. For example, the CAAS of the University of Asmara has plans to conduct biodiversity inventories for the entire country but will not be able to do this unless they can collect, identify preserve and curate specimens. Strategy: To increase biodiversity benefits arising from improved taxonomic knowledge. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Establish herbarium and MoA/MLWE/ Planned Needs zoological collections. Undertake , UoA funding training activities to improve capacities of taxonomic knowledge of relevant institutions (ii) Conduct inventories on all MoA/MLWFJ Planned Needs aspects of (terrestrial) biodiversity UoA/MoLG funding (iii) Increased participation in MoA/UoA / Planned Needs regional taxonomic networks MLWE funding (e.g. BIO-NET/EAFRINET, ICIPE) ,, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LANI), WATER AND ENVIRONMENT t-.I .ITREA P,IODIVEI ,SIT¥ STP, ATEGY AND AC'I ION PLAN: 47 IHE STATUS OF BI()D]VERSITY IN ERITREA 6.8 Information acquisition and storage Existing situation: Although there is a growing amount of environmental information being compiled in Eritrea, there is no centralised repository for this information and gaining access to data can be a difficult, time-consuming process. There is less biodiversity information being collected and stored, because of the critical shortage of appropriate skills in field inventory, survey and monitoring. The FWD of the MoA maintains records of mammals and birds encountered during field surveys but is unable to identify many species without specialised equipment and more training. The FWD also maintain records of tree species from their surveys. Several overseas researchers and visiting experts are also contributing to these checklists. Needs: There is a clear need to: · improve the organisation and accessibility of existing "in-country' biodiversity information; · identify and acquire as much historical and "out-of-country" information as possible; · establish and make available a set of standardised biodiversity indicators and survey methods which can be used in all surveys to make data more cross comparable; and · improve data exchange between those ministries with potential negative impacts on biodiversity and those responsible for biodiversity management. Strategy: To increase biodiversity benefits arising from improved use of biodiversity information. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing and Other Agency and Collaborators) or Planned Needs (i) Compilation of baseline data surveys, MoA/MLWE/ Planned Needs using GIS tools on important habitats, UoA funding species and resource uses. (ii) Participate actively in the acquisition MLWE/MoA/ Planned Needs and exchange of biodiversity information UoA funding with relevant organizations (such as BIO-NET/EAFRINET, ICIPE). (iii) Periodical preparation of MLWE Planned Needs biodiversity state of environment reports funding (3-4 years). DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRy OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 48 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA 6.9 Public awareness and education Existing situation: The Ministries of Information and Education are responsible for the broadcasting and dissemination of environmental information in Eritrea, but neither have direct access to good sources of environmental information. The National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW) and the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students (NUEYS) are also potentially powerful mechanisms for disseminating environmental information, which the Department of Environment need to establish strong linkages with these organisations. The available media for spreading biodiversity information (newsprint, radio and TV) are developing rapidly and their capacity to use information exceeds the supply of quality information, especially on biodiversity, rather than general environmental information. To date, dissemination of information on biodiversity has been opportunistic rather than planned and has focused on problems, rather than solutions. The lack of a centralised environmental information database and lack of attention to this issue, limits producing better organised, higher-quality sets of biodiversity-related information. The school curriculum is under major review and re-development. To date, there has been no formal review and modification of the environmental information content of the curriculum. There are now plans to integrate environmental education into the school curriculum, and to that effect the Department of Environment has already drafted a paper, to be presented to a national workshop expected to be organised by the Ministry of Education. The University of Asmara has begun to incorporate (since 1997) environmental modules in its biology undergraduate programme. The modules have proved popular but a shortage of equipment and specialist teaching skills limits what can be achieved. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERI I REA 131ODIVERSITY STRA'I EGY AND ACTION Pi. AN: 49 THE STATUS OF B IODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Strategy: To improve documentation and dissemination of information on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Integration of environmental MLWE/MoA/ Planned Needs education in general and MoE/UoA funding biodiversity in particular in the national educational system. (ii) Increased use of the media to MoI/MLWE On-going Needs disseminate and promote additional conservation and use of funding biodiversity resources (iii) Use of relevant government MLWE/MoA/ Planned Needs institutions and NGOs in the NUEW/NUEYS/ funding dissemination of information for UoA the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources. (iv) Preparation of newsletters, MI.WE On-going Needs : GoE audiovisuals, etc., to promote the additional conservation and sustainable use fundingI of biodiversity resources. I 6.10 Legal and institutional structure (capacity-building) 6.10.1 Legislation Existing Situation: The legislation of Eritrea is being re-established "from scratch". All existing colonial and Ethiopian legislation is effectively degazetted, although some may still be used for practical guidance. New legislation, in the form of Proclamations and Legal Notices (Regulations/Directives) is being prepared by individual ministries or departments in order to establish their mandate and operational scope. Draft legislation must be approved by the Ministry of Justice before being published in the Legal Gazette. There is much overlap of responsibilities for environmental issues across the existing legislation, in spite of the absence of an Environment Proclamation. Needs: It is imperative that the Environment Proclamation be completed as soon as possible. It is inevitable that this will overlap with existing legislation and special care will need to be taken to ensure that overlapping articles are in harmony and complementary, not contradictory. Also, the draft Forestry and Wildlife Proclamation 1)ti'AltA MEN'I OV ENVIRONMEN I M[NISTRY ()F LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA B|ODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 50 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA should be completed as soon as possible. It is strongly recommended that these two pieces of legislation are completed by a common working group. Future revisions of existing legislation would benefit from the inclusion of statement which mention biodiversity as a specific component of the broader environment. 6.10.2 Institutions (capacity-building): Existing situation: Human resource development is a priority of the government national development programme. The need for increased training, work experience and technical advisory support is clear in almost every section of government and society; biodiversity related activities are no exception. This demonstrates that there is a shortage of qualified biologists, ecologists and environmental scientists within all of these institutions. Building capacity whilst at the same time maintaining day-to-day functions in these institutions is a difficult challenge. The shift towards decentralisafion of practical government to the regional administrations will make this shortage of expertise even more apparent. Decentralisation means that more and more decisions which affect biodiversity will be taken at regional and sub-regional level but environmental staff in the regional administrations are either lacking or are recently employed graduates with little theoretical or practical experience. They will need strong support from the line ministries if they are to fulfil their duties effectively. With regard to terrestrial biodiversity, by far the most important institution is the Ministry of Agriculture. It is the government institution with the largest impact on land use throughout the country, through both fanning and livestock activities. The MoA is also "home" for the FWD, which is responsible for many biodiversity conservation and sustainable use activities. The Ministry of Land, Water and Environment has responsibility for land classification decisions (Land Department) and for general environmental management (Department of Environment) which overlap, to some extent, with those of the FWD. The University of Asmara has the potential to play an important role in training biodiversity professionals and increasing biodiversity information through the research programme of the Department of Biology and College of Agricultural and Aquatic Sciences (CAAS). DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA B IODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 51 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA Strategy: To increase representation of biodiversity issues in relevant sectoral legislation, and increased institutional and technical capacity to promote conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial biodiversity. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) i Planned Needs (i) Capacity building of MoLG/MLWFJ Planned Needs inalilutional resources to meet MoA/MoJ funding the need of decentralization policy of the government (ii) Completion of MLWEJMoJ On-going Needs Environmental Proclamation; additional provision of biodiversity funding infomaation to other sectors preparing legislation; regulations; guidelines (iii) Preparation of regulations MLWE/MoA/ Planned Needs for managing and MoLG funding administering Protected Area System (National Parks, Nature Reserve, etc.) (iv) Drafting of Biodiversity MLWE/MoJ Planned Needs Legislation funding DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAN[), WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 52 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA SECTION 7 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY The marine biodiversity of Eritrea has come through the past years of liberation struggle relatively intact. As a result, the Eritrean Red Sea area remains relatively pristine, due to the lack of pressure from fishing, tourism or coastal and offshore industrial development. The coastal plains, which represent about 60% of Efitma's total land area, are thinly populated with about 100,000 people scattered predominantly in the main urban areas of Assab and Massawa and to a lesser extent in scattered villages along the coast. With the exception of Massawa and adjacent areas, these areas were relatively unaffected by fighting during the struggle for independence. Within the next few years, this historical condition of low human impact is set to change rapidly. The Government of Eritrea has identified the use of the marine resources of the Red Sea as an area of major economic expansion, including increased fishing effort, tourism and exploration of oil and gas reserves. Associated with this will be an increase in urbanization of coastal-dwelling communities (both in terms of intrinsic growth and immigration) and increases in economic activities. The Government is committed to take care of the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources, including coastal, marine and island (CMl) environments. The recently implemented GOFdGEF-funded "Conservation Management of Eritrea's CMI Biodiversity Project" reflects this national commitment. A "Coordination, Planning and Implementation Committee" (CMl Committee) has been established with representation from MoF, MLWE, MoA, MOLG, UoA, GEF Project Team, UNDP, MICMEC, plus other co-opted national agencies where necessary (e.g. MTC, MoT, etc.). The main activities relating to CMl biodiversity are described in the following sub sections, according to the framework used for Terrestrial and Agricultural Biodiversity within the NBSAP, in order to identify synergies, duplications and gaps or potential conflicts with activities identified within these other national biodiversity sectors. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERIFREA BIOI)IVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 53 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA 7.1 Intesrated management Ex/st/n tl u n: CMI management is not fully integrated at present. The area involved is large, comprising approximately 60,000 km 2 of coastal plains, over 350 islands and the territorial waters of Eritrea. Integrated environmental management at this scale therefore represents a major administrative and financial challenge to a small and developing nation such as Eritrea. Existing national capacity for CMl management is limited and the problem is compounded by poor transport and communication infrastructure within the area. Effective CMl management in Eritrea will rely primarily on developing an integrated parlicipatory process for coordination and decision making in order to avoid adverse anthropogenic impacts and prevent further degradation to CMI biodiversity in urbanized areas and zones of exploitation. Due consideration must be given to potential conflicts of interest that may arise within government agencies mandated to both exploit and protect CMl biodiversity. Strategy: Develop a comprehensive, integrated and participatory management framework for the conservation management and sustainable development of Eritrea's coastal, marine and island biodiversity. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs Implement and strengthen the MoF/MLWE/ Ongoing Funds GEF/GoE existing GEF/GOE CMl MoA/MoLG/UoA available Biodiversity Project /GEF Project "Coordination, Planning and Team, Implementation Committee" UNDP/MTC/ (CMI Committee) MICMEC/plus other co-opted national agencies. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAN[), WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 54 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR MARINE BIOD1VERSITY 7.2 Sustainable use of natural resources Existing situation: Current levels of CMI resource utilization in the Eritrean Red Sea are believed to be well below sustainable utilization due to the slow rebuilding of commercial sectors (e.g. tourism, fisheries, etc.) following independence. However, because of limited information available regarding CMl resources (including baseline data on biodiversity and commercial fish stocks), an accurate assessment of the economic potential of these resources is not available. CMl resources are limited and must therefore be carefully assessed and monitored and exploitation carefully controlled. For example, whilst the recently promulgated Fisheries Legislation will help ensure the sustainable use of fisheries resources, it will only be effective if a baseline is established and compliance is monitored and enforced. Thus, an integrated CMI Development and Zoning PlAn should be developed which sets standards which all sectors should comply with. Strategy: Formulate an integrated CMI Development and Zoning Plan. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institutions Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Establish a baseline of CMl MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF biodiversity and initiate MoLG/UoA/MoT. available monitoring programs. (ii) Undertake sector- MoF/MLWEJMoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF specific/cross-sectoral analyses of MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available the impacts and management MTC. implications of key development activities on CMl biodiversity. (iii) Formulate an integrated CMl MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF Development and Zoning Plan, MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available incorporating CMI-specific EIA MTC/MTI guidelines. 3EPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT vlINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT I RITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 55 BIODIVERS1TY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR MARINE B1ODIVERSITY 7.3 Alien invasive species Existing situation: The Eritrean Red Sea territorial waters are part of a major shipping route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, with many hundreds of ships passing every year. The potential for the accidental introduction of alien invasive marine species is therefore high, especially through bilge discharge. Similarly, increasing numbers of alien species are being introduced by coastal development projects without due regard to issues of environmental testing and impacts, monitoring or containment security, reflecting a conflict of interest between development and conservation at the Ministerial level. The Indian House Crow (Corvus splendens) now dominates the urban area of Massawa following its recent introduction and is now spreading inland. Some introduced plants, such as Prosopis chiliensis, are also spreading following introduction to Massawa. The impacts of the recent introduction of at least seven exotic species at the new aquaculture venture in Massawa remains unknown but poses a potentially serious threat to CMI biodiversity, particularly with the introduction of potentially competitive marine and halophytic species such as tilapia, Peaenus 3p., Salicornia sp. and Rhizophora sp. Strategy: Protection of the coastal, .narine and island environment from alien invasive species. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institutions Ongoing and Other Agency and Collaborators) or Planned Needs (i) Establish a database of MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF known CMl invasive species. MoLG/UoA. available (ii) Establish policies for MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF safeguarding against alien MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available invasive species, including MTC. licensing, screening, monitoring and containment procedures. (iii) Establish an eradication and MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF containment programme for MoLG/UoA/MoT. available known and potentially harmful alien invasive species. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 56 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA 7.4 Pollution management Existing situation: The CMl environment is potentially threatened by pollution from a variety of sources, including: marine shipping (especially oil tankers); oil and gas exploration; urban and industrial waste; and industrial developments. At present, almost all industrial activity in the CMI areas is concentrated in the ports of Massawa and Assab and includes cement and salt manufacture, shipping and power generation. These urban areas lack proper sewage and solid waste management facilities. The Government plans to develop a number of key sectors, all of which will require proper EIA compliance and pollution mitigation, management and control, in order to avoid serious adverse impacts to CMI biodiversity. Strategy: Identify, monitor and control potential sources of pollution within CMI areas. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institution Ongoing and Other Agency and Collaborators) or Planned Needs (i) Monitoring of critical pollutants DoE (MLWE) Ongoing Funds GoE which impact on marine and coastal available environment, (ii) Install and maintain reception MTC Planned Needs facilities Ibr Crude Oil Wash (COW) funding at Massawa & Assab (iii) Establish and implement Oil MTC/MEM Planned Needs Pollution Contingency Plan funding (iv) Install receptacles at all fishing MoF Planned Needs centers in which fishermen can funding dispose of used engine oil. (v) Issue a norm for the construction MoLG/MLWE/ Planned Needs of septic tanks for all present and Zoba administration funding future coastal buildings. 7.5 In-situ conservation (i.e. protected areas) Existing situation: ln-situ conservation is an affective way of protecting biodiversity, providing for: protection of endangered species; maintenance and/or restoration of viable populations of native species, communities, habitats, breeding areas and genetic diversity; protection of breeding and feeding areas for migratory species; and provision of space to allow species migrations in response to environmental change. There are currently no formal protected areas within the CMl zones of Eritrea, although a number of potential sites have been identified, including: Dur Guam and Dur Gella islands; the Fatuma and Museri island groups; and the Buff Peninsula. In the coastal region, the area around Ila Isa has been prioritized for increased protection for the DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRy OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERS1TY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 57 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY endangered African Wild Ass (Equus africanus somaliensis) and other terrestrial wildlife. In addition, negotiations to expand the closure system in the coastal plains are underway. DoIphin.w I.arg ' marine mammal. in l/w Eritrean waterx r){'the Red Sca Sca Turtle: One o[ the l]lre ttetlt'd Illtlrlllc IIIttlllllltl[.s ( / l/lt Erllrerm Wttli'r3 of Ibc Red Sea DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ER1TREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 58 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVi 1lES FOR MARINE BIOD1VERSITY Dugongs: One of the endangered marine mammals graze exclusively on seagrass of the Eritrean waters of the Red Sea Strategy: Develop and implement a participatory program for conservation and management of key CMI areas and for habitats and species of special concern outside of these areas. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institutions Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Identify and delineate protected MoF/MLWEIMoA Planned Funds GoFdGEF areas for the conservation of CMI /MoLG/UoA/MoT available biodiversity. /MTC. (ii) Establish protected area MoF/MLWFd Planned Funds GoE/GEF management plans and monitoring MoA/MoLG/UoA/ available programmes. MoT/MTC. (iii) Prepare a species conservation MoF/MLWE/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF network and action plans for the MoA/MoLG/ available protection of endangered endemic, UoA/MoT/MTC. migratory and/or indicator species, including marine turtles and mammals, migratory birds and harka. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN 59 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY 7.6 Ex-situ conservation Existing situation: There are no current ex-situ initiatives for the protection of CMl biodiversity in Eritrea. Whilst there may be a strong case for captive-breeding programmes for critically endangered species, a more secure and cost-effective strategy for the protection of such species is in-situ conservation initiative through protection of critical habitats. Ex-situ interventions for the conservation of CMl species are therefore not considered as a viable option at this time within the NBSAP. 7.7 Taxonomic knowledge Existing situation: Existing taxonomic knowledge and national capacity for acquisition of taxonomic data of CMI biodiversity is extremely limited, as highlighted in a recent independent report comrmssioned by the GOE/GEF-funded "Conservation Management of Eritrea's CMl Biodiversity Project". A sound understanding of CMl taxonomy and a national capacity for taxonomic profiling is a prerequisite for understanding CMI biodiversity, from which informed and rational decisions regarding the conservation management of CMl biodiversity can be developed. Without investment in this fundamental aspect of biodtversity knowledge, all other "down-stream" conservation, management and sustainable use activities will be compromised by "fuzzy" knowledge. Strategy: Increase national capacity for CMl taxonomic data acquisition. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institutions Ongoing or and Agency and Collaborators) i Planned Other Needs (i) Develop national expertise in MoF/MLWEIMoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF CMI taxonomy through training. MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available MTC. (ii) Establish a curated reference MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF collection of CMI biodiversity UoA/MoT available and improve library acquisitions of key reference literature. (iii) Co-opt international expertise MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF to assist in short-term CMl UoA/MoT available taxonomic profiling initiatives. DEPAR OF EbIVIRONMENT M qlSTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRO ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 60 BIODIVERSIT Y, -RELA 1izl.J ACTI I'I lES FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY 7.8 Information acquisition and storage Existing sfUuation:During the course of the GEF-PRIF (Pre-Investment Facility) Project, MoF has established a pilot GIS geo-referenced database on CMI biodiversity. However, this database does not incorporate the numerous other Eritrean CMI-relevant datasets hold nationally within other government agencies or other relevant datasets known to exist elsewhere. Furthermore, the structure and content of the MoF CMl database does not provide for adequate analysis or synthesis of the data sets held. Estabhshment of a comprehensive CMl biodivermy database is Fundamental to me god of protecting CMl biodiversity and a prerequisite for effective CMl management. It should not be viewed simply as the existing MoF database but rather as the entirety of CMl environmental, biological, ecological and sociological .tata and information available to support informed CMl biodiversity management decisions. Strategy: Establish a comprehensive GIS database on CMI biodiversity and related cross-cutting information. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding {Lead Institutions Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Upgrade the MoF, CMl MoF/MLWF /MoAJ Planned Fund GoE/r'-EF biodiversit , database. MoLGFUoA/MoT available (ii) Establish a meta-database of MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Fund GoE/GEF all relevant CMl datasets and MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available update the MoF CMl database, MTC. including data from ongoing and planned baseline and monitoring data acquisition initiatives (Section 7.2). (iii) Establish data exchange MoF/MLWE/MoAd Planned Fund GoE/GEF linkages and forums at national, MoLG/UoMMoT/ available i regl'onal and !ntemational levels. MTC. I DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIOI)IVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 61 '11IE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA 7.9 Public awareness and education Existing situation: There is a strong government commitment to human resource development in recognition that education and training are essential to the national development initiatives. This applies to environment and biodiversity as well as to the economic sectors. There are already a number of projects designed to increase the productive capacity of fishing communities and other commercial sectors of the coastal communities - this needs to be integrated with more general environmental information if a sustainable development pathway is to be followed. The need to improve national expertise in CMI taxonomy has already been identified (Section 7.7) and there is an additional need to enhance national capacity throughout the technical spectrum of CMI biodiversity assessment and monitoring. There are currently no significant national campaigns for public awareness of CMl biodiversity values. This is an important activity if full community awareness and participation in CMl biodiversity conservation is to be successfully achieved. Strategy 1: Increase national capacity to undertake CMl biodiversity assessments and monitoring through education and training. Activities: Activity !Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institutions Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Undertake a national Training MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF Needs Assessment for CMI MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available biodiversity-related activities. MTC. (ii) Identify trainees and suitable MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF training courses and agencies MoLG/UoAfMoT/ available (where possible, training should MTC/MoE. be conducted in-situ) DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA B1OD1VERSrrY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 62 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY Strategy 2: Increase public awareness of CMl biodiversity values. Activities Activity Responsibility Priority Funding Funding (Lead Institutions Ongoing or and Agency and Collaborators) Planned Other Needs (i) Develop suitable CMI MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF biodiversity awareness supporting MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available materials and establish a national MTC/MoE campaign and network for community-based CMl biodiversity awareness. (ii) Incorporate CMl biodiversity MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF awareness programmes into the MoLG/UoA/MoT/ ' available ; national curriculum. MTC/MTI/MoJ/ MoE (iii) Develop a suitable MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF mechanism for routine MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available dissemination ofCMI biodiversity MTC/MoE information at both technical and non-technical levels. (iv) Encourage community-based MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoFdGEF involvement in CMI biodiversity MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available assessments and monitoring (i.e. MTC/MoE increase community 'stewardship' of CMI biodiversity). (v) Develop plans for a national MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF marine aquarium and CMl MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available educational facility. MTC 7.10 Legal and institutional structure (capacity-building) Existing situation: The recently promulgated Fisheries Legislation provides a strong foundation for legal protection of CMl biodiversity. However, any legislation is only as effective as the system for its implementation. Currently, both MoF and the Regional Administration lack expertise and experience in the use of legislation to protect CMl environments. Whilst there is a need for additional legislation and regulations to ensure conservation and sustainable use of CMI biodiversity, there is an equally important need for the development of human resources for the efficient and effective use of legislation. There is also an urgent need to ensure national coordination of legislation relating to the protection and sustainable use of CMl biodiversity. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERS1TY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 63 BIOD1VERSITY-RELATED ACTIV 1lIES FOR MARINE BIODIVERSITY Strategy: Improve legislative arrangements and coordination for the protection and sustainable use of CMI biodiversity and enhance institutional capacity to implement legislation. Activities: Activity Responsibility Priority Funding ]Funding (Lead Institutions Ongoing or and Other i Agency I and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Preparation and coordination MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF of laws/regulations for Integrated MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available Coastal Zone Management. MTC/MTI/MoJ (ii) Preparation and coordination MoF/MLWF dMoA/ Planned : Funds GoE/GEF of laws/regulations for CMl MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available Protected Areas. MTC/MTI/MoJ (iii) Identification of capacity MoF/MLWE/MoA/ Planned Funds GoE/GEF needs for effective enforcement MoLG/UoA/MoT/ available of CMI-related laws/regulations. MTC/MTIAVioJ DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 64 THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ER [TREA SECTION 8 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY The agricultural sector accounts for around 30% of total GDP and a much larger proportion t of the subsistence economy which is not fully documented in national economic statistics. Over 70% of the population are directly or indirectly engaged in either subsistence or commercial agricultural activities. From a biodiversity perspective, the agricultural sector has considerable importance both in global and local terms. The diversity of crop, forage, shrub and tree browse landraces found in Eritrea has global conservation significance because Eritrea is a centre of diversity or centre of domestication for a number of cultivated crops. More importantly, the genetic diversity of these and other crops and forages in Eritrea plays an important role in the agricultural strategy of farmers, especially those practising rain-fed agriculture. Cultivation of a range of different landraces provides a "bet-hedging' strategy minimising the risk of total failure of crops and livestock and maximising production of crops and livestock under harsh local conditions. The objective of biodiversity conservation is to minimise the decrease or irretrievable loss of landrace materials due to genetic erosion. In general, local genetic resources are low yielding but they possess a much wider genetic base than uniform high yielding varieties. The conservation of local genetic resources ensures a primary source of gene variation useful for today and tomorrow production improvement through breeding and selection programs. Much of the documentation on crop diversity in the Horn of Africa has been focused on Ethiopia and much of the information on crop diversity in Eritrea is "embedded" in the literature of Ethiopia. There is a large diversity of livestock in Eritrea which is widely distributed over the country. There are four indigenous breeds of cattle, four breeds of goats, four breeds of sheep, two types of donkeys and three types of camels. Mules and horses are found mainly in the highlands. Although the grasses, shrubs and trees utilised by livestock have not been studied and documented in detail, the country has highly important grass species such as Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis/species, Cenchrus ciUaris, etc.; for shrubs, there are the Acacia species, Phrosia species, Atriplex numularia, Cadaba rotundiforia, etc.; for browse trees, Acacia tortilis, Acacia nilotica, Salvadora persica, Acacia seyal, Acacia senegal and Hyphaene thebaica, etc. Thc existing situation with regard to biodiversity-related activities in the agricultural sector is reviewed below with respect to the 10 strategic themes used for this report. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ER1TREA BIODIVERS1TY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 65 BIODIVERSITY-RELAi gu ACTI t t [F FOR AGRO-BIODIVERSI'I 8.1 Integrated management Existing Situation: The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for the overall policy and planning for the agricultural sector but implementation of the policy is effected through the regional administration offices. The overall policy is geared towards increased production, both in the crop and livestock sector. Whilst this is a clear national need and priority, the policy must be implemented in an integrated manner in order to prevent a significant decline in biodiversity value in the country. Low yielding, drought sensitive and not easily marketable landraces which have been maintained by peasant farmers until now could be replaced by high yielding, early maturing and easily marketable products. In such cases, efforts must be exerted to conserve them before they are lost. Local plant varieties possess a much wider genetic base than uniform high yielding varieties. Therefore, the conservation of local genetic resources ensures primary source of gene variation useful for today and tomorrow production improvement through breeding and selection programs. In this section, we focus on the impact on agricultural biodiversity resources themselves, not the impact on natural terrestrial biodiversity. The Integrated Farming Systems (IFS - Tumur l-Iirsha) has the aim of increasing agricultural production through the introduction of mechanized farming on larger areas. The program plans to increase output through the supply of both improved landraces and outstanding exotic varieties and increased levels of chemical inputs (fertilizers and pesticides). Community participation in crop harvest as part of the integrated farming system · DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRy OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 66 BIOD1VERSiTY-KELATED ACTIVITIES FOR AGRO-BIODIVERSITY The Integrated Watershed Development project described under terrestrial biodiversity does not make any direct intervention at the level of crop and forage choice and thus has little positive impact on agricultural biodiversity. The project has the potential to influence diversity of both trees and forage through its interventions in catchment areas where both indigenous and introduced species are being used. In the livestock sector, the development objective is to increase productivity through improved animal health, better feedstock supply and selecfion of improved breeding stock. Although this program will include introduction of foreign livestock, these will not deplete indigenous breeds which are dominant in the harsher open-grazing systems which form 90% of the livestock sector. Needs: From a biodiversity perspective, there is a need for integrated management of agricultural biodiversity resources to ensure that globally and nationally significant genetic varieties of crops, forages and livestock are not "lost" as production systems change to improve the human welfare of Eritrean farmers and pastoralists. This is not a difficult task but cannot be achieved until the distribution of these resources is better known. It is unrealistic to wait for surveys to complete documentation of these resources at a national level to be completed. A more pragmatic approach would be to ensure that all areas proposed for significant "change in use" are surveyed for their agricultural biodiversity significance before conversion is approved; in this way, threatened crop, forage and livestock resources could be identified and conserved before project implementation. This could be completed within the framework of the National Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures and Guidelines which require projects to address these issues before they are granted environmental clearance. Conservation practices should focus at the ecosystem taking into consideration the geographic distribution of the agricultural biodiversity resources. Strategy: Inclusion of agricultural biodiversity criteria in the zoning of potential agricultural land. Activities: Responsibility Priority Funding Funding Activity (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs Identification of zones of high MoA Planned Needs landrace (crop and livestock) funding diversity and incorporation of zones into national land use classification DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITy STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 67 BIODIVERS1TY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR AGRO-BIODIVERS1TY 8.2 Sustainable use of natural resources Existing situation: This theme is strongly linked to the previous one. Sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity comes from the integration of these resources into a broader, sustainable agricultural system. Traditional rain-fed agriculture is becoming unsustainabte in many parts of Eritrea as plot sizes diminish, soil erosion continues and soil fertility declines. The situation is aggravated further by crop failures arising from drought and war, leading to loss of crop diversity. In the highlands, intensification is a viable solution to this problem t, since there is little or no land available for increases in agricultural activities. In the lowlands, a mixture of extensification and intensification can be implemented. Long term maintenance of crop diversity will only occur in intensified agricultural systems if indigenous crop landraces continue to meet farmers' needs. As agricultural systems change some landraces may become less important in farmer's cropping strategy and will not be maintained at the level of individual farmers. Where these landraces may have potential useful long-term genetic potential (e.g. for future breeding), they should be conserved at the national level, i.e. taken into ex-situ conservation. At present, however, many farmers indicate that they have trouble maintaining the landraces, which they would wish to continue to use. Output is so low that it is often difficult to set aside sufficient quality seed for the next season, creating a vicious circle of declining yields, less seed, etc.. There is scope for national/regional level intervention here, creating a system where rare but valued crop varieties are multiplied up for redistribution to farmers; this could occur either at research stations or on those farms which still use these landraces/varieties. Farmers who grow landraces should be encouraged through economic incentives which assist them to enhance yield through improved management of cultivation practices. Needs: The most urgent need for agroicultural biodiversity resources in Eritrea should be better documentation of the distribution and status of the resources themselves. Without this information, the exact nature of any threat cannot be realistically assessed, nor can mitigation steps be taken to eliminate the risk of loss of diversity be put in place. Wherever possible, conservation of genetic resources should take place in-situ, maintaining crop and livestock diversity in an active farming environment. Ex-situ conservation facilities are limited and need to be strengthened if they are to act as a realistic "safety-net" to on farm, in-situ conservation. Wherever land constraints allow, the diversification of the agricultural landscape through agora-forestry, woodlots, closures, etc., should be encouraged - these activities can nearly always be included in soil and water conservation interventions. ' Diversification, i.e. people shifting away from farming as a source of income is another alternative, but this is not easily included in a NBSAP. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERrlllEA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 68 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVrI'IES FOR AGRO-BIODIVERSrrY Sustainable crop and vegetable production through the introduction of water harvesting technologies in Eritrea DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: . 69 BIODIVERSITY RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR AGRO-BIODIVERSITT , or lllo l selcclt(m/t.-eedin ill a research ,¥lall'(;ll ill ]:'t'ilre l Traditional crop threshing in the highlands of Eritrea i DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINIST {Y OF LAND WATERAND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION pLAN: 70 BIOD1VERSITY-RELATED ACrlXdl lIES FOR AGRO-BIODIVERSITY Strategy: To improve documentation of the distribution and status of agricultural biodiversity resources. Activities Responsibility Priority Funding Funding Activity (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Promote the conservation, MoA Ongoing enhancement production, i utilization and marketing of high value/industrial indigenous crops and livestock for income generation and economic development (ii) To produce and distribute to MoA Ongoing farmers improved varieties of indigenous landrace (crops and livestock) materials (iii) Improving the crop MoA Ongoing management practices that enhance soil moisture retention of agricultural land (iv) Improvement of rangeland MoA Ongoing quality through temporary closures, enhancement of perennial grazing cover; increased forage/fodder crops (v) Increase honey and wax MoA/DANIDA Ongoing Needs production by establishing queen additional (bee) mating centers and expansion funding Iof bee colonies 8.3 Alien species Existing situation: All alien species of crop and forage species and livestock should be assessed for their invasiveness. Alien introductions which spread without the support of man could be classified as invasive. Within the agricultural biodiversity sector, alien introductions are of two kinds: (i) introduced crop, livestock and forage species and varieties; and (ii) the introduced pests associated with crops and livestock. High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of sorghum and pearl millet are being introduced to Eritrea but the total area of these varieties grown is small relative to total cultivated areas. Wheat is the most threatened cereal to genetic erosion since old (Kenya varieties) and DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 71 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTINI l Ii S FOR AGRO-BIODWERSITY recent introductions (Canada, Australia, Boohoy, HRD, Pavoni varieties) are cultivated by farmers in scattered but relatively frequent in Zoba Maekel and Debub subzones. ,Exotic barley varieties are being studied by DARHRD but so far no outstanding variety has been released to farmers. Striga: Common invasive weed species on sorghum Weeds and other crop pests are a major problem in Eritrean agriculture where the level of use of chemical pesticides is extremely low. A total of 94 weed species were identified recently by the Ministry of Agriculture survey 2, with the most serious being: Striga hermonthica (Purple witch weed), Orobanche minor (Broomrape), Convolvulus arvensis (Creeping Jenny) and Cyperus rotundus (Purple Nutsedge). The majority of the serious weed species in Eritrea are introduced species which have "followed" their preferred crops around the globe 3. These pests in general reduce agricultural productivity rather than representing direct threat to indigenous biodiversity. Lists of some major crop insect pests and diseases in Eritrea indicates a similar pattern of a wide range of "global" pests. 2Adhanom Negasi (Ed.) (1999) Workshop on tbe weed status of the Integrated Farming Schemes (IFS)/TurnurHirshasin the different Agro-ecological Zones of Eritrea 3Some of these species may have been introduced hundreds, even thousands of years ago, along with the original crop. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 72 BIODIVERSITy-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR AGRO-BIODiVERSITY Despite the fact that plant quarantine is the first line of defense against the invasion of alien species, there are some constraints to achieve the goal of this activity efficiently. These are: absence of well facilitated laboratory for identification of pests and diseases; and absence of bye laws. Any live or processed biological material is quarantined at time of import and export in order to control the spread of economically important livestock disease and not to create health hazards. Strategy: To improve knowledge and control of alien species within agricultural ecosystems. Activities: Responsibility Priority I Funding I Funding Activity (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) To design a monitoring MoA/MLWE Planned Needs program to identify changes in funding crop and forage diversity at farm level and establish baseline data for the program (ii) Increased surveillance and MoA On-going but quarantine activities at "points of requires entry" for live biological material strengthening of capacities (iii) Increased survey and , MoA On-going documentation of agricultural and livestock pests 8.4 Pollution management Existing situation: So far, pollution is not a serious problem for the majority of agriculture · in Eritrea. The level of industrial activity is currently very low so that whatever air and water pollution that exists is localized and distant from most agriculture. Pollution from agriculture itself is also of minor significance due to the low levels of chemical inputs, both fertilizer and pesticides. As the economy grows, this situation will change but should not represent a serious threat to agricultural biodiversity if the proposed National Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures and Guidelines are implemented effectively. If use of fertilizers and pesticides allows intensification of agricultural production and helps to prevent additional land conversion, then it will be beneficial for biodiversity. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERI I REA BIOI)IVEI .SITY S'I RATEGY AND ACTION PLAN 73 I'HE STATUS {)l r B[ODIVERSITY IN ER[TREA Needs.' The most important needs for lhis strategic theme arc: ( ) the elfective implementation of environmental assessment of all new industrial activities, especially with regard to project location; (ii) the development of an effective system for the regulation of agro-chemical import and supply and for ensuring that pesticide use takes place in the framework of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Strategy: To reduce impact of industrial pollution on agricultural systems. Activities: Responsibility Priority Funding Funding Activity (Lead Institution Ongoing and Other Agency and Collaborators) or Planned Needs Use of environmental assessment MoA/MLWE Planned procedures for new projects and monitoring of potential impacts of , industry on agricultural i biodiversity. 8.5 In-situ conservation Existing situation: ln-situ conservation of plant genetic resources is taking place spontaneously at the level of individual farms throughout Eritrea. It is estimated that 3-4 landraces of each major crop species may be found in each "locality" but it is not clear how many landraces exist across all localities. Sometimes the same landraces have a different name in different localities; sometimes different landraces can have the same name in different locations. Landrace conservation at this uncoordinated level carries a risk that local landraces will be lost if (i) farmers suffer severe crop failure due to drought, pest damage or war; or (ii) farmer's agricultural strategies change so that some varieties are no longer maintained. There is some evidence that this type of genetic erosion is happening but the extent is not clear due to lack of documentation of landrace distribution. Needs: There is a clear need for a "safety net" to assist individual farmers to cope with the first of these problems and to ensure that, if farmers choose not to use a landrace, that the landrace is not lost forever. This is best achieved through a combination of on-farm (in situ) conservation of those landraces which are in demand but scarce, coupled with a strategy of off-farm (ex-situ) conservation of less popular landraces which still have long term breeding potential. The former could be achieved by contracting farmers to grow threatened varieties for guaranteed prices, so that the harvested seed can then be distributed to more farmers. Alternatively, threatened landraces can be multiplied on government research farms. This is the existing strategy of the MoA Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU) but full implementation has proven to be difficult due to human resource, equipment and funding constraints. I)EPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 74 I HE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY IN ERITREA In the livestock sector environmentally, socially and economically important indigenous livestock species could be conserved in-situ through conservation and proper use of range resources and the establishment of breeding centers for cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, etc. This could be done at representative locations in the six zobas. Establishment of queen rearing center's in the central highlands could also have paramount importance in the conservation and expansion of bee colonies in the country. The livestock export market should be regulated so as to not exceed the sustainable exploitation of our livestock off-take. Strategy: To increase conservation of agricultural biodiversity within on-farm systems. Activities: Responsibility !Priority Funding Funding Activity (Lead Institution Ongoing or , and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (i) Implementation of existing MoA Planned Needs plans for in-xitu conservation of funding landraces (crops and livestock) (ii) Develop a system of effective MoA Planned Needs 'inccntives for farmers to maintain funding d.iversc landraces (funding, ?aining, input supply, etc.) (iii) To develop and adopt MoA/MLWE Planned Needs complementary conservation funding strategies and methods (in-situ and ex-sim - contracting farmers to grow threatened landraces; multiply threatened landraces in research stations) 8.6 Ex-situ conservation Existing situation: There is an ex-situ collection of agricultural biodiversity resources maintained at the PGRU of the MoA Research and Human Resources Development Department. This gene bank has limited capacity lot collection, storage and characterization of agricultural biodiversity genetic resources. A total of 1900 accessions, predominantly cereals, legumes, oil crops and few wild relatives have been collected and stored. This represents a considerable amount of the total crop landrace variation in Eritrea. Human resource availability and physical space limitations are being reduced thPough the DANIDA funded const,'uction of new buildings and employment of additional staff this will allow to increase the coverage of the collections. Characterization of over 70% of the accessions has been completed and the gene bank can make this information and small amounts of seed available for research use. There are relatively good linkages between the gene bank and international organizations concerned with plant genetic resource conservation. Few out-of-country material has been DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER ANt) ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 75 BiODIVERSITY RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR AGRO-BIODIVERSITY returned although some exotic material has been provided by ICRISAT and ICARDA for screening, whilst IPGRI and FAO provide mostly technical support. There is a partial inventory of Eritrean genetic resources held in other countries (e.g. Ethiopia) and the legal situation with regard to ownership and use of these plant genetic resources remains unclear. Needs: Space and other infrastructure capacities of the gene bank, operating under the DARHRD of the MoA, is expected to improve greatly under the DANIDA funded project currently being implemented. This will definitely strengthen the exploration and collection, conservation, characterization / evaluation and utilization of landraces germplasm. In 1997 and 1998, in collaboration with DANIDA, ICARDA and ICRISAT, collections of barley, lowland sorghum, pearl millet and wheat cultivars had been undertaken for further breeding programs. However, for safer maintenance and enhancement of landrace materials, ex-situ conservation must be complemented by new project of in-situ conservation. The gene bank currently focuses mainly on orthodox crops and their wild relatives but in the future should aim to conserve biological diversity which includes recalcitrant crops (field gene bank) and forages. Commonly, the conservation of threatened breed in livestock in the form of frozen semen and embryos are maintained in separate specialized laboratories. Strategy: To increase conservation of agricultural biodiversity within ex-situ systems. Activities: Responsibility Priority Funding Funding Activity (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs (ii To increase representation of MoA Planned Needs indigenous landrace material in ex- funding situ collections through: (a) in country collection; (bi repatriation of material from international collections (ii) Combating drought as an agent MoA On-going Needs of genetic erosion through selection additional and improvement of drought funding tolerant/resistant varieties from local landraces (iii) Promote conservation of MoA Planned Needs threatened species in the form of funding frozen semen and embryos 'DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY (IF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMEN I' ER1TREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 76 BIODIVERS1TY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR AGRO-BIODWERSITY 8.7 Taxonomic knowledge Existing situation: The role of taxonomic knowledge in the agricultural biodiversity core area is primarily for (i) knowledge of crop and livestock diversity; and (ii) knowledge of the biota .ssociated with crops and livestock (weeds, pests and pathogens; fodder and forage crops, etc.). For (i) the level of knowledge at both government and farm level appears to be quite strong - farmers know their crops and livestock! For (ii) the knowledge base is not so strong, especially at the scientific level; there are few personnel fully-trained in identification of crop and livestock "pests". Taxonomic knowledge of microbes, especially plant diseases and soil biota in general appear to be especially weak. More significant than a weakness in pure taxonomic knowledge, there is a lack of "associated knowledge" for pest species. Associated knowledge is the applied information needed for effective pest management and control; for example, the most up-to-date and relevant methods and materials for integrated pest management OPM) which maximizes control with minimal use of chemical inputs. Needs.' The main needs for agricultural biodiversity in this strategic theme are: (i) an improved taxonomic skill base for full identification of crop and livestock "pests and diseases" - this would be best achieved through short and long intensive overseas training courses; (ii) increase capacity to undertake field surveys of pest status; (iii) increased access to "associated knowledge" to provide farmers with appropriate, cost-effective pest control strategies. Strategy: To increase taxonomic knowledge of biodiversity within agro-ecosystems. Activities: Responsibility Priority Funding Funding Activity (Lead Institution Ongoing and Other Agency and Collaborators) or Planned Needs (i) To survey and document the MoAfMLWE Planned Needs distribution of indigenous landraces funding and their wild relatives (ii) To conduct surveys of soil biota MoA/UoA Planned Needs associated with different crops and funding livestock, especially indigenous landraces (iii) Increased knowledge of MoA/MLWE Planned Needs biodiversity of agro-ecosystems funding (iv) To conduct general insects, pests, MoA/UoA On-going diseases and weeds survey in all agro ecological zones; General fruit & vegetable insect pest survey on the major growing areas of Eritrea (v) Study and Identification of races of MoA/UoA On-going fungi on sorghum (Leaf blight, Anthracnose and rust) DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT 77 ERITRIiA BIODIVb, RSI I Y STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: IllI SFA'IUS OF III(II)[VERS[TY IN lrR[TREA 8.8 Information acquisition and storage Existing situation: This strategic theme is related to those discussed above. As already mentioned in most previous themes, there is a need to undertake field surveys m order to improve the knowledge base on distribution of crop and livestock diversity and the kinds of threats acting on this diversity. A good deal of inlormation of indigenous knowledge and traditional farming systems has been collected over' thc past law years and is available in a variety of published reports and government papers. Needs.' There is no central collect/on of the existing data. nor any useful synthesis of the entire set of information to provide a national overview. This kind of analysis would be best undertaken by either the College of Agriculture and Aquatic Sciences (CAAS) of the University of Asmara, or the DARHRD of the MoA, with the DoE having the role of co ordination and facilitation. These institutions would be the logical repository for centralized storage of existing survey information. With respect to "associated knowledge", this would be best located in Land Resources and Crop Production Department so that knowledge can be passed to farm level as efficiently as possible. Until Eritrea gains full access to the Internet and increases its international contacts through the return of staff from overseas training, the best approach to filling the gap in "associated knowledge" lies in linkages to international organisations which compile and distribute such information to users, Examples include ICLPE, ILCA, ICRAF, IPGRI, technical departments of FAO and UNEP, etc. Where these organisations make charges for services, the NBSAP could assist with subscription and service charges. Strategy: To increase use of knowledge about biodiversity within agro-ecosystems Activities: Respnnsibility (Lead Priority Funding and Funding Activity Institution and Ongoing or Other Needs Agency Collaborators) Planned (i) To conduct surveys to document MoA/MLwE Planned Needs farmers/agro-pastoralists and funding pastoralists knowledge of use of biodiverse production techniques. (ii) Study biodiversity system of crops MoA/MLWE Planned Needs and livestock in all agro-ecological funding zones (iii) To map rangeland quality in MoA Planned Needs relation to livestock density and funding , seasonal pattems of use (iv) Develop and strengthen early MoA/MLWE/ Ongoing warning system for sustainable Meteorological management Office/Grain (v) To develop a national system for MoA/MLWF .JUoA Planned Needs agricultural biodiversity information funding collection, dissemination and / i exchange; [ [ 1 I)EPA {TMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATEI{ AND ENVW, ONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 78 TIlE STATUS OF B [ODIVERSITY IN ERITREA 8.9 Public awareness and education Existing situation: This theme can be considered as an extension of the above. It is unclear how much use is being made of the media for the promotion of agricultural biodiversity. Farmers appear to be well aware of local diversity and genuinely concerned about its actual and potential loss. They are perhaps less aware of the actions which could be taken to reverse these trends. Radio would appear to be the best medium to use for dissemination of information on farming methods to promote on-farm biodiversity given the lack of TV and low levels of literacy in many villages. At scbool level, much environmental education appears to be set at a very general level, discussing global rather than local issues. Needs: There is need for increased dissemination of agricultural biodiversity information through the national media. The Ministry of hnformation is willing to disseminate information on environmental issues in general, including biodiversity. There is a good deal of potential to prepare short information bulletins which could assist biodiversity surveys or disseminate information on pest management, etc. Similarly, there is scope for inclusion of more information on Eritrean agricultural systems and their associated biodiversity into the school curriculum. Wherever possible, relevant local information should he incorporated into teaching materials-and this should be reflected in changes being made in the on-going revision of the school curriculum. Strategy: To increase knowledge of benefits arising from biodiversity within agro-ecosystems Activities: Responsibility (Lead Priority Funding Funding Activity Institution and Ongoing and Other Agency Collaborators) or Planned Needs To create awareness at scientific, Mo// MoE/MLWE/ Planned Needs policy and community level on the MoA/UoA / MoLG funding importance of agricultural biodiversity conservation and use through the national media, bulletins and incorporate in teaching materials. 8.10 Legal and institutional structure (capacity-building) Existing situation: There is no formal legislation covering biodiversity in the agricultural sector. The MoA has drafted some laws (the PlanV'Animal Quarantine draft laws, the draft Seed Law, for example), which in one or the other would promote the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity resources. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ERITREA BIODIVERS1TY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: 79 BIODIVERSITY-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR AGRO-BIODIVERSITY It is likely that the National Environment Proclamation, which is in the process of drafting, will also contain articles covering biodiversity conservation, both within the agricultural sector and elsewhere. The Environment Proclamation should contain legislation to regulate some threats to biodiversity in the agricultural sector (e.g. pollution from industry, pesticides, etc.). In the interim period, until this legislation is promulgated, all projects proposing to make commercial use of indigenous species or for access to genetic resources should be passed through an Environmental Evaluation Questionnaire [EEQ 3.2 (g) and 3.2 (j) respectively], presented in the National Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures and Guideline, as part of the overall project approval process. This will ensure that issues of intellectual property rights, farmers rights, etc. are resolved before projects are implemented. It is clear that the capacity of the government agricultural sector to fully implement and monitor the activities described above is fairly limited. Capacity building from such low levels is a difficult and slow process. The collaboration between relevant government agencies involved in the conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity resources could lessen shortages of human and technical capacities. Strategy: To increase protection of agricultural biodiversity within agro. ecosystems Activities: Responsibility Priority Funding Funding Activity (Lead Institution Ongoing or and Other Agency and Collaborators) Planned Needs Make assessment studies on how MoA/MLWE Planned Needs agricultural biodiversity funding resources, including local knowledge and practices, are better protected and sustainably used through the legal means. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OF LAND, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT