The economic costs of biological invasions in Africa: a growing but neglected threat?

By

Diagne, Christophe
Turbelin, Anna
Moodley, Desika
Novoa, Ana
Leroy, Boris
Angulo, Elena
Adamjy, Tasnime
DIA, Cheikh Abdou Khadre Mbacké
Taheri, Ahmed
Tambo, Justice
Dobigny, Gauthier
Courchamp, Franck

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

67

Pages

11--51

Subjects

- , Africa , Africa , Afrig , Afrika , Afrique , Agricultura , Agriculture , bestuur , Biological invasions , costes económicos , coûts économiques , Damage , Daños , economic costs , ekonomiese koste , ezolimo , Farafina , Gestion , Gestion , indringer spesies , InvaCost , Invasiones biológicas , invasions biologiques , izimila nezilwanyana zokufika , izindleko zezomnotho , kɔlɔlɔ , labarali , landbou , Management , mbay , musaka , Ɲanamaya finkuraw cyarili , njeexital ci koom-koom , pertes et dommages , ruuri ndundat yi , saytu gi , sɛnɛ , skade , ukubhekana , umonakalo , yàqu-yàyu

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.67.59132

 

Abstract

Biological invasions can dramatically impact natural ecosystems and human societies. However, although knowledge of the economic impacts of biological invasions provides crucial insights for efficient management and policy, reliable syntheses are still lacking. This is particularly true for low income countries where economic resources are insufficient to control the effects of invasions. In this study, we relied on the recently developed 'InvaCost' database – the most comprehensive repository on the monetised impacts of invasive alien species worldwide – to produce the first synthesis of economic costs of biological invasions on the African continent. We found that the reported costs of invasions ranged between US$ 18.2 billion and US$ 78.9 billion between 1970 and 2020. This represents a massive, yet highly underestimated economic burden for African countries. More alarmingly, these costs are exponentially increasing over time, without any signs of abatement in the near future. The reported costs were mostly driven by damage caused by invaders rather than expenses incurred for management. This trend was highly skewed towards a few regions (i.e. Southern and Eastern Africa) and activity sectors (i.e. agriculture) and incurred by a small number of invasive taxa (i.e. mainly three insect pests: Chilo partellus, Tuta absoluta, Spodoptera frugiperda). We also highlight crucial, large gaps in current knowledge on the economic costs of invasions that still need to be bridged with more widespread research effort and management actions across the continent. Finally, our study provides support for developing and implementing preventive measures as well as integrated post-invasion management actions at both national and regional levels. Considering the complex societal and economic realities in African countries, the currently neglected problem of biological invasions should become a priority for sustainable development.