The relevance of mangrove forests to African fisheries, wildlife and water resources

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The relevance of mangrove forests to African fisheries, wildlife and water resources

Mangroves are part of coastal ecosystems in tropical and sub-tropical regions and are among the world’s richest storehouses of biological diversity. Many fish harvested depend on mangrove ecosystems for various stages in their life cycle. In Africa, human communities living around mangrove forests resort to them for fuelwood, charcoal, timber, and other non-timber products. Mangroves are also a source of fishery resources and have the potential to protect coastlines from flooding and erosion, safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities. However, mangrove ecosystems have also been damaged by human activities including urban development, agriculture, development of shrimp aquaculture and pollution. Drastic loss of mangrove forests has been observed in African countries.  Moreover, the conservation of mangroves is essential for the continued existence of two other major coastal ecosystems in the tropical and sub-tropical regions, namely coral reefs and seagrass beds. Now there are deep concerns regarding these mangroves. They have been damaged by human activities including urban development, agriculture (rice cultivation in particular), development of shrimp aquaculture and pollution as well as climate variability. In many African countries over exploitation of mangrove trees for firewood has degraded many mangrove ecosystems. The aim of this edition of Nature & Faune is to capture the scope of the issue of mangrove very concisely and effectively within the context of its management in Africa.

Nature & Faune is a peer-reviewed open access international bilingual (English and French) publication of the FAO Regional Office for Africa. Its aim is to disseminate information (scientific and technical knowledge) and promote the exchange of experiences on wildlife, protected area management and the sustainable use and conservation of natural resources in Africa.