The sustainability of bushmeat harvesting is, in many cases, influenced by external factors, such as 

 inappropriate poUcies and governance; demography; increased commercialization of the wildlife 

 harvest; fragmentation and land-use changes; logging and other resource extraction activities; and 

 developments in the agricultural sector (Nasi et al., 2008). There appears to be no easy solution to this 

 complex problem. However, some policy recommendations for the consideration of decision-makers at 

 the appropriate levels are outlined below. 



Recommendations for improving the sustainability of bushmeat hunting 



The bushmeat crisis is first and foremost a problem resulting from an unmanaged common resource 

 being unsustainably harvested because of inadequate governance and policy frameworks. Many of the 

 underlying causes of the unsustainable use of wildlife are the same as those underlying poverty and 

 sustainable livelihoods. As such, the problem should be addressed in the broader framework of 

 sustainable natural resource management, and build on lessons learnt in the framework of sustainable 

 forest management (SFM), and other relevant policies and management regimes. Approaches to address 

 the bushmeat crisis should be nation-, site- and context-specific, based on a detailed knowledge of 

 hunting patterns and the ecology of the hunted species, and tailored to local cultural, socio-economic 

 and political conditions. • 



Specific recommendations for the national level in bushmeat-range States 



1. National policy linkages: The bushmeat economy is largely invisible in most countries. 

 Acknowledging the contribution of bushmeat and other animal products to the local economy 

 will be a first essential step towards sustainable management of this resource. Inclusion of 

 information on bushmeat and animal products in official national statistics may be a next step in 

 order to better understand its role in the country's economy, and as a contributor to local 

 livelihoods and food security. 



Forest exploitation has a major impact on bushmeat hunting in several ways: it provides 

 increased access to hunters, attracts more temporary or permanent settlements and, last but not 

 least, it affects wildlife habitat. Therefore wildlife management should be an integral part of 

 National Forest Programmes and (mandatory) forest management plans, as well as National 

 Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. 



Another key policy linkage should be established with development planning. Policies aimed at 

 poverty reduction can be as important as developing a legislative framework for hunting. Such 

 policies should include the establishment of clear land tenure and land-use rights, promoting the 

 production of alternative sources of proteins, and the involvement of indigenous and local 

 communities in land use planning and natural resource management. 



2. Enhancing ownership and links to tenurial and rights reform: In significant measure the 

 bushmeat problem is often a problem of rights. Rural dwellers lack rights to the use of wildlife 

 and other resources they need to secure their livelihoods, hence they are unwilling to invest in 

 wildlife management. Measures to reform the tenurial systems pertaining to all of these 

 resources are urgently needed, including the transfer of ownership or stewardship of wildlife and 

 other natural resources to local communities, so as to stimulate an interest in sustainable use. 



7 



The latter two factors have both direct in indirect effect s on wildlife resources: logging often degrades 

 wildlife habitat, and in addition increases harvesting levels, as logging crews rely on bushmeat for nutrition 

 and additional income. Also, logging roads facilitate the quick access to bushmeat markets. Chang es in the 

 agricultural sector, in particular intensification and increasing of production units, can change the habitat 

 for species which thrive in swidden agriculture and agro -forestry. 



Q 



Readers are encouraged to refer to the publication "Conservation an d Use of Wildlife 

 Based Resources: The Bushmeat Crisis" (Nasi et. al, 2008), which is available from the 

 CBD Secretariat ( www.cbd.int ), for the ftill set of recommendations. 



Nature & Faune Vol. 23, Issue 1 34 



