Africa | National Invasive Species Information Center

Provides selected Africa resources from agencies and organizations with an interest in the prevention, control, or eradication of invasive species.

Spotlights

Asian Citrus Greening Disease: The Threat to Africa’s Citrus Trade
- Oct 11, 2021
- CAB International. Invasives Blog.
- The yield losses attributed to Asian citrus greening disease once established can be devastating. If the disease continues to spread unabated in the citrus growing regions of East Africa, the annual value of lost production could potentially reach up to US $127 million over the next ten to 15 years, according to a recent paper published by CABI. The paper, The Asian Citrus Greening Disease (Huanglongbing): Evidence Note on Invasiveness and Potential Economic Impacts for East Africa (Jun 2021) [PDF, 2.9 MB], provides a review of the global literature on Asian citrus disease or huanglongbing (HLB) and estimates its potential economic impact on East Africa. The paper also makes recommendations for biosecurity preparedness, surveillance and management options to help decision-makers and citrus growers.
Invasive Alien Species Cost Africa's Agricultural Sector an Estimated USD $3.6 Trillion a Year
- May 20, 2021
- CAB International.
- CABI scientists have conducted the first comprehensive study on the economic impact of a range of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) on Africa's agricultural sector, which they estimated to be USD $3.6 trillion a year. This is equivalent to 1.5 times the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of all African countries combined – or similar to that of Germany. The average annual cost of IAS per country was USD $76.32 billion. Full details of the cost for individual countries are outlined in the paper published in the journal CABI Agriculture and Bioscience.
New Book is Treasure Trove of Information on Invasive Species
- Apr 2020
- Stellenbosch University (South Africa).
- Published recently as an open access encyclopaedic book, Biological Invasions in South Africa provides the reader with information on 1422 alien species including, among others, plants, birds, mammals, fish, terrestrial invertebrates, invasive marine organisms and disease-causing microorganisms that have naturalised or become invasive in the country. Comprising 31 chapters, it covers themes such as the history of research in South Africa, detailed accounts of major groups of plants and animals, policy development, the development of a robust ecological theory about biological invasions, the effectiveness of management interventions and scenarios for the future regarding biological invasions in the country. Biological Invasions in South Africa can be downloaded for free at https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-030-32394-3.

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Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this location, organized by source.

Council or Task Force

Plant Protection Research
- South Africa Agricultural Research Council.

Partnership

Invasive Alien Plants and Their Management in Africa [PDF, 7.75 MB]
- 2013
- CABI Africa.
- Synthesis Report of the UNEP/GEF Removing Barriers to Invasive Plant Management in Africa (RBIPMA) Project, implemented in four African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda and Zambia) between 2005 and 2010.
Framework for Monitoring Invasive Tree Species in Ghana
- 2003
- United Kingdom Government. Department for Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs. Darwin Initiative for the Survival of Species.
- The purpose of the project was to develop a framework for monitoring the impacts of invasive tree species on biodiversity in rural communities of Ghana (Project No. 162/9/019; 2000-2003).
  Submitted by: Centre for Natural Resources and Development, NatureBureau International; Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford; Forestry Research Institute of Ghana; Ghana Organic Agriculture Network; Suntaa-Nuntaa Agroforestry
Biosecurity in Forestry: A Case Study on the Status of Invasive Forest Tree Species in Southern Africa
- UN. FAO. Forestry Department.
- The FAO Forestry Department Working Papers report on issues and activities related to the conservation, sustainable use and management of forest resources. The purpose of these papers is to provide early information on on-going activities and programmes, and to stimulate discussion. This paper is one of a series of FAO documents on forestry-related biosecurity issues.
Centre for Invasion Biology
- South Africa Department of Science and Innovation. National Research Foundation.
- The CIB is an inter-institutional Centre of Excellence established in 2004 within the DSI-NRF Centres of Excellence Programme. Its members undertake research on the biodiversity consequences of biological invasions, largely through post-graduate student training. The principal aims of the Centre’s work are to reduce the rates and impacts of biological invasions by furthering scientific understanding and predictive capability, and by developing research capacity.
Invasive Plants Keys and Fact Sheets
- East African Network for Taxonomy.
- This interactive Lucid key and accompanying fact sheets provides a resource that can help those who wish to identify species of concern and to undertake management efforts to minimise their impact. Provides information for 100 of the most important invasive plant species in the East African Region.
Invasive Species South Africa - Protecting Biodiversity from Invasion
- Invasive Species South Africa.

International Government

Biological Invasions
- South African National Biodiversity Institute.
- The Invasive Species Programme (ISP) aims to detect invasive species; assess the risk these species pose to South Africa and attempt eradication of high risk species with limited distribution.
CIESM Atlas of Exotic Species in the Mediterranean
- Mediterranean Science Commission.
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service
- Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS).
Swaziland's Alien Plants Database
- iNaturalist Luxembourg.
Working for Water Programme
- Republic of South Africa. Water Affairs Department.
- The fight against invasive alien plants is spearheaded by the Working for Water (WfW) programme, launched in 1995 and administered through the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.