IUCN

The dominant model for agricultural development has not adequately considered environmental and social externalities, leading to their insufficient integration into decision-making processes that shape agriculture and food systems. There is a critical need for comprehensive regulation of the agricultural sector to design and implement concrete transition pathways towards more sustainable agriculture and food systems at various scales,

This paper presents nature-based education (NbE) as a critical solution, positioning nature at the heart of learning to foster a deep recognition of the interconnectedness between humanity and the natural world. NbE is integrated by diverse strategies such as environmental education, Indigenous knowledge and experiential learning to cultivate a profound sense of belonging, responsibility and active stewardship towards nature.

Invasive alien species (IAS) are a major, accelerating driver of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation across Africa, with growing implications for water security, food systems and rural livelihoods. The IUCN Save Our Species (SOS) African Wildlife Initiative (SOS AWI)—funded by the European Union—supports locally led, science-based action to reduce key biodiversity threats, including IAS, through practical management, restoration and capacity strengthening.

This publication focuses on ecosystem governance in the context of urban-rural linkages, analysing nine case studies to develop principles for ecosystem governance. Ecosystem governance utilises the ecosystem approach, adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity, which emphasises the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the importance of integrated management for the analysis of the case studies.