Nature-based solutions in the savanna belt of Africa: Insights from a systematic review

Abstract

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are powerful tools whereby, using nature as the template, societal challenges can be addressed, while simultaneously achieving co-benefits for the environment. NbS have been successfully demonstrated in different ecosystems around the globe, but for savanna ecosystems - the planet's largest terrestrial biome - there is a lingering lack of clarity of what constitutes an NbS. We undertook a systematic review of literature in the savanna belt of Africa - stretching from Senegal to Tanzania. This review examined 3,714 journal articles from 2018 to 2022, out of which 271 papers met the inclusion criteria. Results show that there are a wide variety of nature-based techniques and strategies being used in the savanna-belt. Yet upon greater scrutiny, few qualified as NbS according to the IUCN criteria. Less than 2 % of papers met all the criteria, falling short in the areas of biodiversity gains, economic viability, governance processes, trade-offs, and adaptive management. The geographical and sectoral scopes of these solutions were also limited: 72 % of papers were from just 5 countries, and 80 % were from the agriculture/livestock sectors. Notably, 5 % involved creation of new ecosystems. Author collaborations between countries of the global south with savanna ecosystems were few. Our findings suggest research silos in NbS discourses: the peer-reviewed literature revolves around smallholder farming in just a few countries, where the research is generally driven by the global north. These factors prevent NbS from becoming truly transformational in addressing societal challenges in the savanna belt of Africa.

Keywords

• Savanna restoration
• Climate change adaptation
• Nature-based solutions
• Ecosystem-based adaptation