Southern African Sub Global Assessment (SAfMA)
Southern Africa (SAfMA)
Geographical coverage
| Geographical scale of the assessment | Regional,National,Sub-national |
|---|---|
| Country or countries covered | Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Any other necessary information or explanation for identifying the location of the assessment, including site or region name |
Africa. The assessment was approached as an experiment with studies conducted through assessments at three spatial scales: the entire SADC region, two major river basins (the Gariep and Zambezi), and local communities (Gorongosa-Marromeu in Mozambique, Lesotho, Great Fish River basin, Richtersveld and Gauteng in South Africa). |
Geographical scale of the assessment
Regional,National,Sub-national
Country or countries covered
Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Any other necessary information or explanation for identifying the location of the assessment, including site or region name
Africa. The assessment was approached as an experiment with studies conducted through assessments at three spatial scales: the entire SADC region, two major river basins (the Gariep and Zambezi), and local communities (Gorongosa-Marromeu in Mozambique, Lesotho, Great Fish River basin, Richtersveld and Gauteng in South Africa).
Conceptual framework, methodology and scope
Assessment objectives
SAfMA assessed the services provided by ecosystems in southern Africa and their impacts on the lives of the region’s people. The assessment explored how local, informal management systems and conventional, formal management systems can be combined to manage ecosystems in ways that ensure the continued provision of ecosystem services in the region. A priority for SAfMA is to develop and test methods to integrate across these scales. SAfMA also focused on ways to collate multi-scale assessment results for use by decision-makers.
Mandate for the assessment
Conceptual framework and/or methodology used for the assessment
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA)
URL or copy of conceptual framework developed or adapted
The conceptual framework was derived directly from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment conceptual framework, but adapted to local needs. The link between ecosystems and human well-being was explained clearly for decision makers.
System(s) assessed
- Marine
- Coastal
- Inland water
- Forest and woodland
- Cultivated/Agricultural land
- Grassland
- Mountain
- Dryland
- Urban
Species groups assessed
Ecosystem services/functions assessed
Provisioning
- Food
- Water
- Genetic resources
- Medicinal resources
- Energy/fuel
- Raw materials
Regulating
- Air quality
- Climate regulation
- Moderation of extreme events
- Regulation of water flows
- Regulation of water quality
- Waste treatment
- Erosion prevention
Supporting Services/Functions
- Primary production
- Maintainence of genetic diversity
Cultural Services
- Recreation and tourism
- Aesthetic Enjoyment
- Inspiration for culture
- Art and design
Scope of assessment includes
Drivers of change in systems and services
Yes
Impacts of change in services on human well-being
Yes
Options for responding/interventions to the trends observed
Yes
Explicit consideration of the role of biodiversity in the systems and services covered by the assessment
Yes
Timing of the assessment
Year assessment started
Pre 2000
Year assessment finished
2004
If ongoing, year assessment is anticipated to finish
Periodicity of assessment
One off
Assessment outputs
Website(s)
Report(s)
Biggs, R,. Bohensky, E,. Desanker, P.V,. Fabricius, C,. Lynam, T,. Misselhorn, A.A,. Musvoto, C,. Mutale, M,. Reyers, B,. Scholes, R.J,. Shikongo, S,. van Jaarsveld, A.S. (2004). Nature Supporting People The Southern African Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Pretoria, South Africa.
29._SAfMA_Integrated_Report.pdf
Bohensky, E,. Reyers, B,. van Jaarsveld, A,. Fabricius, C,. (Editors) (2004). Ecosystem Services in the Gariep Basin.
26._SAfMA_1_Gariep_Basin_Executive_Summary.pdf
Scholes, R & Biggs, R,. (Editors). (2004). Ecosystem Services in Southern Africa: A Regional Assessment. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
30._SAfMA_Regional_Report_-_final.pdf
Communication materials (e.g. brochure, presentations, posters, audio-visual media)
Bohensky, E,. Reyers, B,. van Jaarsveld, A,. Fabricius, C,. (Editors) (2004). Ecosystem Services in the Gariep Basin, A contribution to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment prepared by the Gariep basin team of SAfMA, the Southern African Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
28._SAfMA_1_Gariep_Basin_Executive_Summary_decision_makers.pdf
Nature Serving People A pilot assessment of southern African Ecosystems. (Brochure).
27._SAfMA_Pilot.pdf
Journal publications
Training materials
Other documents/outputs
Tools and processes
Tools and approaches used in the assessment
- Indicators
- Scenarios
- Economic valuation
- Social (non-monetary) valuation
- Ecosystem mapping
- Stakeholder consultations
- Response options
- GIS
Process used for stakeholder engagement in the assessment process and which component
Stakeholder involvement was an important element of the assessment, perhaps most dramatically in the Gariep livelihoods assessment, which derived its information directly from the people involved. A user advisory group was established for each component study, thereby giving a wide range of stakeholders a means of participating in the assessment.
Key stakeholder groups engaged
The number of people directly involved in the assessment process
Incorporation of scientific and other types of knowledge
Supporting documentation for specific approaches, methodology or criteria developed and/or used to integrate knowledge systems into the assessment
Assessment reports peer reviewed
No
Data
Accessibility of data used in assessment
The data used by the assessment came directly from the institutions involved and the peer-reviewed literature. In addition, other forms of knowledge were also involved, collected from direct interviews with individuals living in the ecosystems being assessed. Generally speaking, as the scale of assessment moved from regional to local, the balance of information shifted from more scientific sources towards more informal sources, with information often transmitted by oral tradition.
Policy impact
Impacts the assessment has had on policy and/or decision making, as evidenced through policy references and actions
Independent or other review on policy impact of the assessment
No
Lessons learnt for future assessments from these reviews
The policy impact appears to have been reasonably effective, though no independent assessment is currently available. Each component study was published separately, along with the integrated report; the component studies were designed to have particular policy relevance to the region or topic considered. For example, the assessments at the basin level (Gariep and Zambezi) were designed to contribute primarily to the needs of the catchment management authorities in the respective basins, in addition to relevant government bodies dealing with conservation, agriculture and development. At the regional level, the assessment sought to influence the Southern African Development Community, national Governments, non-governmental organizations working in the region, the media and the public.
Capacity building
Capacity building needs identified during the assessment
Actions taken by the assessment to build capacity
How have gaps in capacity been communicated to the different stakeholders
Knowledge generation
Gaps in knowledge identified from the assessment
How gaps in knowledge have been communicated to the different stakeholders
Additional relevant information
The Southern African Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (SAPECS; http://sapecs.org/) is a research initiative that partly builds on SAfMA and aims to provide information for a future assessment.
