Toolkit for Aliens

This new publication* is neither a spaceship repair manual, nor a companion volume to 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', but a key resource from the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP). Its publication marks the culmination of a 2-year consultative process to develop a compilation of best prevention and management practices for invasive alien species (IAS). Over this period, it has become known to those involved as simply 'The GISP Toolkit'.

IAS are familiar territory to biocontrol researchers and practitioners. Water hyacinth, depicted on the toolkit's front cover, is one of the best-publicized cases in recent years. Originating in South America, it has become widely distributed by humans in the Old World tropics because of its attractive flowers. It inflicts significant economic damage by impairing water transport, disrupting hydro-electric power generation, preventing fishing, and blocking irrigation schemes and reservoirs, but it also affects biodiversity by reducing native fish, aquatic invertebrates and plants. Integrated pest management (IPM) has proven to be most efficient in clearing lakes and rivers, using case-specific combin-ations of mechanical, chemical, and biological control techniques.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognises IAS as the second greatest threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction (and the greatest threat on islands). All signatories to the CBD have an obligation under Article 8(h) to "prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats and species." The mechanisms for this were elaborated at COP-5 (the 5th Conference of the Parties to the CBD, held in Nairobi, May 2000). Decision V/8, 'Alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats or species', urged Parties, other governments and relevant bodies to give priority to the development and implementation of IAS strategies and action plans. It called for case studies by countries, particularly focusing on thematic assessments. It called for information sharing and harmonization of approaches. It suggested priority issues to address, including mechanisms for transboundary cooperation and regional and multilateral cooperation, and including exchange of best practice. It identified bodies to lead in the international arena, and called for a focus on (bio)geographically isolated ecosystems.

GISP was initiated to address these issues of IAS formulated in the CBD. It is coordinated by SCOPE (the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment) in conjunction with IUCN (the World Conservation Union), CABI and UNEP (the UN Environment Programme). Its goal is to enable communities and conservation managers to draw on the best available tools to improve prevention and management of biological invasions, and that is the focus of the GISP toolkit.

The toolkit was designed and partially drafted at a workshop held in Kuala Lumpur in March 1999 by a group of experts gathered together from 13 countries around the globe. In addition, these and other internationally renowned experts prepared case studies of successful projects highlighting successes, problems and opportunities for prevention and management of IAS. Continuing from this, Rüdiger Wittenberg and Matthew Cock of CAB International prepared the text of the toolkit, which was then reviewed by the participants of the Kuala Lumpur workshop and their feedback incorporated. Dick Veitch of New Zealand acted as a third editor during this review process. The resultant draft was presented at the GISP Final Synthesis Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa in September 2000, and reviewed in working groups during the conference. Many valuable suggestions made at this time were incorporated in the toolkit text prepared for publication as this book.

Although the toolkit's focus is on IAS affecting biodiversity, many examples are drawn from traditional sectors such as agriculture and forestry, reflecting the diverse problems caused by IAS and the wider knowledge base and experiences with IAS in these commercial sectors. The 102 case studies presented span the globe and cover most regions, although islands are particularly stressed because they are especially vulnerable to the impact of IAS. The immense scope of the issue prohibits a comprehensive description of detailed approaches. Hence, an essential feature of the toolkit is to provide an overview, advice by example, and leads on where to learn more.

The book provides a wealth of information on best management practices for IAS and will assist and direct those involved with biodiversity conservation and land management. The breadth of the management approach and the numerous case studies will also be of interest and an information source for a wider public audience. Management (in a wider sense) of IAS is described: from the establishment of national management plans, to measures to prevent invasions, opportunities for risk analysis processes, early detection systems and methods for management.

Publication of the GISP Toolkit is not the end of the line. The text and case studies will be adapted to form a website, and it is intended that this will become an enduring but dynamic version of the Toolkit, to be updated with new information, Internet links, and case studies as these become available. In particular, the some hundred separate case studies in the published version represent the expertise of the workshop participants, and the people subsequently involved in the preparation of the toolkit, and are therefore not representative of the full range of experience worldwide. Therefore, nationally and regionally focused case studies using local adaptations of the toolkit will be particularly welcomed.

Initial financial support for the Toolkit came from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UNEP, UNESCO (UN Edu-cational, Scientific and Cultural Organ-ization), the Norwegian Government, NASA (US National Aeronautics and Space Administration), ICSU (Inter-national Council for Science), La Fondation Total, and the John D. and Catharine MacArthur Foundation, while the participating groups have made substantial in-kind contributions. GISP is a component of DIVERSITAS, an international programme on biodiversity science.

*Wittenberg, R.; Cock, M.J.W. (eds) (2001) Invasive alien species: a toolkit of best prevention and management practices. Wallingford, Oxon, UK; CABI Publishing, 228 pp. Pbk. ISBN 0851995691

The GISP Toolkit is available free of charge to all developing countries while supplies last. Contact: Laurie E. Neville,
Coordinator,
Global Invasive Species Programme, Department of Biological Sciences,
385 Serra Mall/Herrin Labs 477,
Stanford University, Stanford,
CA 94305-5020, USA
Email:  Lneville@stanford.edu
Fax: +1 650 723 9253
Internet: http://jasper.stanford.edu/gisp/

The GISP Toolkit is also available for purchase at UK£27.50 / US$50.00 (+ p&p). Contact: CABI Publishing,
CAB International, Wallingford,
Oxfordshire OX10 8DE, UK
Email: orders@cabi.org
Fax: +44 1491 829292
Internet: http://www.cabi.org/Publishing/
or link directly to the title at
http://www.cabi.org/Bookshop/book_detail.asp?isbn=0851995691

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Organic Opportunities Identified

The world market for organic foods, and particularly for fruit and vegetables, has been expanding strongly and steadily since the mid-1990s. This has created a viable and sometimes value-added niche in the market. Organic production in developed countries is likely to be outstripped by demand, at the very least in the short and medium term, opening the way for the significant organic imports. Tropical and off-season produce, for which many developing countries have comparative advantages, will also continue to provide growth opportunities.

The economies of many developing countries depend on the export of a small number of mostly agricultural com-modities. Diversification has been made more crucial than ever by the prospect of further market liberalization in the near future. Expansion into high-value crops can help reduce the vulnerability of many agricultural producers in such countries, especially the small-scale resource-poor farmers. However, owing to a lack of distinction between organic and con-ventional food products, little information has been available on organic horticultural market development and internationally traded volumes, on which private and public sector decision-makers in developing countries could base decisions about conversion to organic production.

This publication* presents the findings of a recent joint study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) on international trade in certified organic fresh tropical and temperate fruit and vegetables. It fills the information gap with details of organic market development and global trade in these products.

The study analysed the major global organic markets in Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK), Japan and the USA. For each country, it summarizes the development of the organic sector, and gives current production figures for organic fruit and vegetables. It provides data on the organic market, focusing on fruit and vegetables, and covers distribution channels, market trends and market access. It discusses constraints to market devel-opment (supplies, price premiums, consumer attitudes). The import market is equally fully analysed, with regulations outlined, and data on current imports of organic fruit and vegetables summarized. Main importers are identified. Import trends and constraints to growth are also considered. This qualitative and quantitative information on demand in the world's largest markets and prospects for growth in the short and medium term is drawn together for each importer country in a discussion that identifies market opportun-ities for developing countries.

The book then looks at seven case studies, countries that have established, or are developing, organic sectors (Argentina, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea and Zambia). For each, the history of organic development is outlined, active institutions are identified, and national standards and regulations noted. Current organic production and growth are described, focusing on fruit and vegetables, and types of producers are identified. An economic analysis of organic vs. conventional production is presented, and production supports and constraints are considered. In-country and export markets and marketing chains are described. Lessons to be drawn from each case study are summarized in a discussion that highlights the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the country's organic sector, and points out areas for future growth together with any constraints.

The main findings of both the developed market surveys and developing country case studies are synthesized to identify opportunities for developing countries, by highlighting product categories likely to provide market opportunities to them. At the same time, the book gives guidance on requirements for producing and exporting organic products to major markets, and warns of pitfalls and likely constraints.

*Anon (2001) World markets for organic fruits and vegetables. Opportunities for developing countries in the production and export of organic horticultural products. Rome; FAO/ITC/CTA, 312 pp.

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