Implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework through Communications and Public Awareness

The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) is a continental initiative aimed at sequencing the genomes of Africa’s vast biodiversity to advance conservation, sustainable resource management, and socio-economic growth. Effective implementation of this ambitious project requires a strategic communication framework that reflects Africa’s diverse cultural, linguistic, and infrastructural landscape, engaging stakeholders across different socioeconomic backgrounds, including local communities, indigenous groups, policymakers, scientists, and young people. The AfricaBP Communications and Public Affairs Subcommittee (AfricaBP CPA) strategy prioritises embracing African experiences and corresponding unique communication needs. It has developed a flexible and adaptive strategy that considers the breadth of experiences, languages and cultures of the African continent as well as the multiple time zones across which members need to organize for the successful delivery of work packages. Even following the successes of the AfricaBP CPA, there is still room for future growth. As a lean team, continuing to actively improve its processes, the next phase of the CPA will focus on incorporating more aspects of the (Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) KMGBF as relates to communications. Namely by promoting more platforms to share information on biodiversity; and integrating transformative informal education related to biodiversity and science communications through new activities in visual and audio media (YouTube and podcasts) and mentorships and science communication training to accompany the Open Institute agenda. Overall, the CPA has had a substantial impact since the inception of AfricaBP; it is a model for similar pan-African science organizations on how to prioritize and deliver an integrated communications strategy as a key element of a broader mission and vision to advance science within Africa. The next phase of the CPA is promising and will include innovations that address the complexity of working across Africa with different languages, cultures, and public understandings of science. Without the communications strategy as a key component of AfricaBP, the gains made for advancing genomics for biodiversity and conservation in Africa would be incomplete. Building a connection with the general public, policymakers, and other stakeholders is important in ensuring a long-lasting acceptance of the new scientific developments for effective implementation, promoting behavioural change, and promoting biodiversity values.