Experts met in a joint meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to adopt new recommendations on reversing the growing bushmeat trade, as classic approaches and international efforts have not succeeded in reversing it.
Recommendations included to increase the raising of "mini-livestock," support sustainable harvesting of bees, and clarify land tenure and access rights.
10 June 2011: A joint meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Liaison Group on Bushmeat and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Central Africa Bushmeat Working Group concluded that classic approaches and international efforts are not reversing the growing bushmeat trade, and adopted a set of recommendations to the international community.
Approximately 55 experts representing 43 governments and UN agencies, international and national organizations and indigenous and local community (ILC) organizations attended the meeting, which convened in Nairobi, Kenya, from 7-10 June 2011.
Key recommendations for the international community and concerned national governments and stakeholders included to: implement community wildlife management, and other improved wildlife management approaches; increase the raising of “mini-livestock” (wild animals such as cane rats raised in small farms); support the sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products, such as bee-keeping; clarify and define land tenure and access rights; improve monitoring of bushmeat harvesting and trade; and enhance bushmeat-related law enforcement.
The meeting was co-organized by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), which is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), with funding from the EU. [CITES Press Release] [CBD Meeting Documents]