National and regional diversity assessment, conservation strategies and cost effectiveness of in situ conservation options

Mauritius, South Africa and Zambia produced CWR checklists (table 1) and prioritized CWR for conservation (table 2). A partial checklist on food and fodder crops was also developed at regional level (table 1) and prioritized (table 2). Checklists and occurrence data for priority CWR are available from the project's Dataverse site.

Results of diversity assessments and conservation planning have been instrumental to develop national strategic actions plans (NSAP) in all three countries. The Zambian government has endorsed the NSAP (15.8 MB) in January 2017. The NSAPs are currently in the process of being endorsed by the respective governments in Mauritius and South Africa.

Results of the regional diversity assessment and conservation planning are available here [to be published].

An assessment of cost effectiveness of in situ conservation options for CWR was carried out in Zambia, involving surveys of CWR on farm and on communal lands in 26 local communities. Result of this study are reported here.

Table 1: Number of CWR taxa and type of crops considered in national and regional checklists
County / Region	CWR taxa in checklist	Type of crops considered
Mauritius / Rodrigues	527 / 142	all crops
South Africa	1593	food and fodder crops
Zambia	572	59 crops prioritized by national stakeholders
SADC	>1900	food and beverage crops of food security and/or economic value in the region

Table 2: Number of priority CWR taxa and related crops in national and regional inventories
Country / Region	Mauritius / Rodrigues	South Africa	Zambia	SADC
Number of priority CWR	18 / 9	258	34	115
Priority CWR-related crops	Mauritius: Coffee, fig, fonio, olive Rodrigues: Aloe, fig, asparagus, millets, olive, sweet potato	Cucumber, eggplant melon, millets, rooibos tea, sweet potato, yams, et al.	Cowpea, cucumber, eggpant, melon, millets, rice sorghum, sweet potato, yam	Coffee, cowpea, eggplant, rice, sorghum, et al.

Activities

3.1: Compile baseline information on diversity, conservation status and threat of targeted CWR in the three partner countries and at regional SADC level

3.2: Identify regional and national in situ CWR hotspots and priority sites for in situ conservation and ex situ collection validated through expert interviews and field visits using innovative GIS technology

3.3: Predict which CWR in situ populations and materials from ex situ collections have traits adapted to extreme climate conditions (e.g. heat, drought) using predictive characterization

3.4: Develop exemplar National Strategic Action Plans (NSAP) on in situ conservation and use of priority CWR in three participating countries

3.5: Assess cost effectiveness of in situ conservation options