Africa is one of the most megadiverse continents in the world. Here biodiversity plays a critical role in sustainable development, provides vital ecosystem services and is one of our greatest regional assets. The benefits of biodiversity are crucial to key economic sectors (i.e. forestry, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, health and energy) and to providing solutions to sustainable development and poverty alleviation on the continent. The management of our natural assets and the information related to this are crucial, making it critical that biodiversity is managed as a strategic asset.

SANBI-GBIF has been leading and supporting the GBIF-Africa network since 2009, through various mechanisms. In this capacity, the Node has developed a number of strategic documents and approaches as a means to enhance biodiversity informatics activities, coordination and funding on the continent. These documents include the SANBI-GBIF Regional Engagement Strategy, the African Coordinating Mechanism business case as well as an information product to support this approach. It was identified by the GBIF Nodes that an African Coordinating Mechanism shall be established as a coordinated unit of National Biodiversity Information Facilities and/or organizations that enable scientists, managers, and policy and decision makers, to share and use biodiversity data effectively. SANBI-GBIF has also supported the GBIF-Africa Network through the drafting of a Resource Diversification Strategy, for biodiversity informatics activities on the continent.