Gambia (the) - Overview

Status and trends of biodiversity, including benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services

The total number of species recorded in the country to date is 3,339 derived from 17 taxonomic groups. The country is endowed with 1,005 flowering plants, 126 species of mammals, 627 species of fishes, 566 species of birds, 784 species of insects and 77 species of reptiles.

The 2014 Waterfowl Census reveals that the population and distribution trends of waterbirds have seriously declined due to the overflooding of wetlands resulting in the subsequent invasion of aquatic species, such as phragmites and typhae... More »

Main pressures on and drivers of change to biodiversity (direct and indirect)

Examples of threats to biodiversity include the cutting of trees, including in mangrove forests, for fuel wood (it is reported that the forest provides 85% of domestic energy needs for over 90% of the population); unregulated and illegal hunting practices; destructive fishing practices (including illegal fishing gear, intrusion by foreign trawlers); illegal harvesting of thatch grasses and the cutting down of tree branches to collect wild fruits; shifting cultivation and itinerant farming practices; bushfires; overgrazing; industrial and household waste dumping into wetlands; illegal coastal sand mining activities; pollution; the proliferation of “chain saw machines” that further advances the ability of humans to destroy indigenous woody tree species... More »

Implementation of the NBSAP

The Gambia’s first NBSAP (1999) was found to be inadequate to some extent to address new and emerging threats to biodiversity. Issues that prevented the full implementation of the first NBSAP are being analyzed objectively with the full participation of all stakeholders. A revised NBSAP is in preparation and will aim to mainstream biodiversity issues into sectoral and cross-sectoral policies, programs and plans (national and decentralized), as well as emphasize awareness-raising, policy and institutional reform, resource mobilization, research, training and capacity-building, monitoring, among other matters... More »

Actions taken to achieve the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets

The Gambia has developed 20 national biodiversity targets, derived from the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, that can be viewed at: http://www.cbd.int/countries/targets/?country=gm.

Currently there are 22 wildlife Protected Areas, occupying a total area of 76,064 hectares, approximately 6.4% of Gambia's total surface area... More »

Support mechanisms for national implementation (legislation, funding, capacity-building, coordination, mainstreaming, etc.)

The Biodiversity Policy and Act are being implemented within the context of the overall framework of the Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Policy which encompasses the water and other natural resource sectors (forestry, fisheries, livestock, parks and wildlife, and the environment), each of which is implementing its own sectoral policy... More »

Mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing implementation

A coherent monitoring plan will be drawn up as part of the review process of the implementation of the revised NBSAP, using the national targets that have already been developed, and a set of indicators.