Land use/land cover patterns and challenges to sustainable management of the Mono transboundary biosphere reserve between Togo and Benin, West Africa

Adjonou, Kossi; Bindaoudou, Issa Adbou-Kérim; Segla, Kossi Novinyo; Idohou, Rodrigue; Salako, Kolawolé Valère; Glele-Kakaï, Romain; Kokou, Kouami

doi:10.4314/ijbcs.v14i5.19

Cited by 9 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…In the study area, the top-down approach to resource management implemented prior to the creation of the MTBR has failed to effectively conserve mangroves in the area. This is reported by Adjonou et al, (2020) who observed that over 93% of mangroves and wetlands in the area were lost from 1980 to 2015. The comanagement adopted following the creation of the reserve is expected to promote mangrove reforestation, curb human-induced mangrove degradation and promote mangrove sustainable use in the reserve (Ecobenin, 2017).…”

Section: Co-management Framework In the Mtbrmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Indeed, it takes decades for mangrove ecosystems to bounce back to normal if they undergo serious disturbances. This the case in the area prior to the establishment of the reserve in 2017 (Adjonou et al, 2020;Teka et al, 2018). This necessitates a lot of restoration and conservation efforts currently underway within the reserve with the support of many international institutions (Guelly et al, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Is the Co-management Approach Effective for Mangrove Conservation in West Africa?

Gnansounou¹,

Sagoe

Mattah

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The conservation management literature has recently documented the increasing use of co-management approach to effectively conserve natural resources. Although most research qualify the co-management as highly effective, some authors also reported a number of uncertainties associated with the use of this conservation approach. Using the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (MTBR) as a case study, this work assessed the effectiveness of the co-management towards mangroves conservation in West Africa. Data were collected in two protected sites of the reserve (one in Togo and the other in Benin). Exploratory sequential mixed method via in-depth interviews (n=17), focus group discussions (n=14), household survey (n=274) and expert-based survey (n=10) were carried out, and subjected to the InVEST-based Habitat Risk Assessment (HRA) model, chi-square test and simple probability of likelihood. Results indicated that under the current co-management regimes, the anthropogenic stressors recorded in the reserve put the entire surface area of mangroves in Benin (100%) under low risk. Contrarily, 42% of the mangrove cover are under low risk and 58% under medium risk in Togo. Local perception also portrayed a large reduction of mangrove degradation in the study sites following the adoption of the co-management approach in the two countries. This study suggests that the implementation of the co-management approach has lowered anthropogenic stressors to mangroves in the reserve. However, there are some peculiar challenges (e.g., financial support provision, regular community engagement), which need to be thoroughly researched and addressed for a more effective conservation of mangroves in the MTBR.

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Section: Co-management Framework In the Mtbrmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Is the Co-management Approach Effective for Mangrove Conservation in West Africa?

Gnansounou¹,

Sagoe

Mattah

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Studies revealed that it takes decades for mangrove ecosystems to bounce back to normal if they undergo serious disturbances. This was the case in the area prior to the establishment of the reserve in 2017 (Adjonou et al 2020;Teka et al 2019). This necessitates a lot of restoration and conservation efforts currently underway within the reserve with the support of many international institutions (Guelly et al 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After the creation of the reserve in 2017, decision-makers agreed on the implementation of the co-management approach. Therefore, the management of all the natural resources of the reserve was decentralized, with the active participation of the local communities (Adjonou et al 2020). Prior to the establishment of the reserve, each community in the area had some local associations which regulated the use of resources at community level, however their operations were subjected to central governments decisions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The co-management approach has positive impacts on mangrove conservation: evidence from the mono transboundary biosphere reserve (Togo-Benin), West Africa

Gnansounou

Sagoe

Mattah

et al. 2022

Wetlands Ecol Manage

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Literature on conservation science has documented the increasing use of the co-management approach to effectively conserve natural resources. Although some studies found the co-management approach as highly effective, others also reported some uncertainties associated with the use of this conservation approach. Using the mono transboundary biosphere reserve (MTBR) as a case study, this work assessed the effectiveness of the co-management approach for mangrove conservation in West Africa. Data was collected in two protected sites of the reserve (one in Togo and the other in Benin). Exploratory sequential mixed method via in-depth interviews (n = 17), focus group discussions (n = 14), household surveys (n = 274) and expert-based surveys (n = 10) were carried out, and data was analyzed using the InVEST-based Habitat Risk Assessment (HRA) model, chi-square tests and simple probability of likelihood. Findings showed that the co-management approach has lowered anthropogenic stressors to mangroves in the reserve. Under the co-management approach, all the mangroves located in the Benin side of the reserve are identified as under low risk whereas 42% of the mangrove cover are considered under low risk and 58% under medium risk in Togo. Local perception also portrayed the reduction of mangrove degradation in the study sites following the adoption of the co-management approach in the two countries. However, there are some challenges such as the financial support provision and regular community engagement which need to be thoroughly researched and addressed to achieve the sustainability of the positive impacts of the co-management in the MTBR.

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“…Started in 2014, the process of the designation of the reserve funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Construction and Nuclear Safety of the Federal Republic of Germany was completed in 2017 with the delineation and recognition of the reserve as UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB). One of the reasons underlying the creation of the MTBR was the conservation and the sustainable use of its coastal resources in order to attain coastal resilience, with a focus on mangroves which had lost 93% of their coverage in the area between 1980 and 2015 [7]. Though the reserve brings together a mosaic landscape and ecosystems of the southern Benin and Togo into a unique protected environment, the management of its natural resources remains country specific.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mangrove Ecosystem Services, Associated Threats and Implications for Wellbeing in the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Togo-Benin), West-Africa

et al. 2022

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Mangroves are important coastal ecosystems, which deliver diverse and crucial services to humans. This study explored the diversity of mangrove ecosystem services, their associated threats as well as their contribution to livelihoods and wellbeing of coastal communities in the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (MTBR) located between Benin and Togo. Data were collected using the exploratory sequential mixed method. The approach included field reconnaissance, focus group discussions (n = 14), in-depth interviews (n = 17), household survey (n = 274) and direct observations. A total of 21 services and 7 associated threats were recorded in the entire reserve. Provisioning services were the most important service for mangroves in the reserve followed by supporting services, regulating services and cultural services. Change in water salinity, mangrove overharvesting and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing were the three major threats to mangrove ecosystem services in the reserve. Most of the respondents indicated that the current flow of provisioning services, regulating services and cultural services does not sustain their wellbeing and livelihoods. However, the perception varied significantly across respondents’ gender, ethnical groups, educational background and country. Our study showed some similarities between the two countries but also highlighted important differences which can assist the sustainable management of mangroves in the MTBR.

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Land use/land cover patterns and challenges to sustainable management of the Mono transboundary biosphere reserve between Togo and Benin, West Africa

Cited by 9 publications

References 23 publications

Is the Co-management Approach Effective for Mangrove Conservation in West Africa?

Is the Co-management Approach Effective for Mangrove Conservation in West Africa?

The co-management approach has positive impacts on mangrove conservation: evidence from the mono transboundary biosphere reserve (Togo-Benin), West Africa

Mangrove Ecosystem Services, Associated Threats and Implications for Wellbeing in the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Togo-Benin), West-Africa

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