Expanding African biodiversity genomics to meet global biodiversity goals

Abstract

The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) is a pan-African initiative focusing on improving food systems and conservation through genomics and ensuring the sharing of data and benefits. The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) aims to protect and restore biodiversity, including by ensuring its sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits. AfricaBP’s objectives and activities align with the goals of the GBF. However, implementing genomics research across Africa faces challenges resulting from ethical, legal and social implications. In this Roadmap, we explore the alignment between AfricaBP and the GBF, and outline how genomics research can be expanded while meeting GBF goals and international policy obligations. We present a theory of change that identifies five thematic areas for action, and examine relevant challenges related to the ethical, legal and social implications. In response to these challenges, we make recommendations, highlight AfricaBP’s activities and identify intermediate outcomes towards achieving GBF goals. Addressing challenges across Africa requires developing clear policy and legal frameworks, implementing transparent monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and ensuring interoperability of key regulatory conservation instruments. Strengthening biodiversity data infrastructure, raising awareness of access and benefit-sharing and digital sequence information frameworks, ensuring gender representation, and including Indigenous Peoples and local communities at every stage of development and implementation will also be essential. Meeting the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals in Africa relies on scaling up genomics research and digital sequence information infrastructure across the continent. This Roadmap presents the African BioGenome Project’s theory of change, which identifies challenges and makes recommendations for actions to improve genomics research while meeting global biodiversity goals.