Biodiversity does not only support species and natural ecosystems, it supports food production, provides raw resources, and anchors cultural and social practices in many communities. In South Africa, our biodiversity provides the foundation for an economy that is deeply connected to people’s livelihoods. This is referred to as the biodiversity economy, which includes activities such as eco-tourism, sustainable harvesting of plants, aquaculture, wildlife management, and the production of natural products. Each of these sectors has the potential to provide employment, generate income, and create opportunities for small businesses that operate close to natural resources.

For many households, especially in rural communities, natural resources are part of everyday subsistence. Plants are harvested for food, medicine, and crafts. Wildlife and fisheries provide protein and income. Landscapes attract visitors, creating demand for wildlife experiences and cultural experiences. When these practices are supported and managed in sustainable ways, they contribute directly to economic activity while also maintaining the ecosystems that make them possible.

The role of knowledge and access

Communication is central to strengthening the biodiversity economy because it determines whether people have the knowledge and confidence to participate in these opportunities. Policies, regulations, and scientific research often present biodiversity in technical and scientific terms. While these frameworks are important for governance, they are not always accessible to the communities and enterprises that are most affected by them. When information is presented in language that is difficult to interpret, many people are left unable to engage in biodiversity-related opportunities, meet compliance obligations, or make use of available support programmes.

Bridging knowledge gaps through inclusive systems

Accessible information systems and creative knowledge-sharing processes are central to bridging this gap. When biodiversity is introduced to young people through education and community programmes that demonstrate its link to tourism, ecological learning, or product development, it becomes easier to imagine real career options within the sector. 

For small enterprises, practical tools such as licensing guides, market workshops and mentorship networks provide clarity on how to meet standards and manage resources responsibly. Within communities, knowledge exchange that values local languages and traditional practices,whether through radio, storytelling, or village meetings, strengthens the sense that biodiversity is not external to daily life, but part of how people live, work, and sustain their environment.

Integrating traditional knowledge into conservation management practices strengthens the relationship between people and the environments they depend on. It allows local understandings of ecosystems, resource cycles, and seasonal patterns to inform decision-making in ways that are contextually grounded and relevant. This approach improves the quality of conservation outcomes but also acknowledges the cultural and historical relationships that communities maintain with their natural surroundings.

Grounded examples of participation and learning

There are several examples in South Africa where accessible knowledge-sharing has strengthened participation in the biodiversity economy. In the Eastern Cape, the Aloe ferox harvesting cooperatives supported through the Baviaanskloof Development Initiative and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s Bioprospecting, Access and Benefit-Sharing (BABS) Programme have shown that small producers can access formal markets when information about licensing, benefit-sharing, and sustainable harvesting is made clear and contextually relevant. 

In KwaZulu-Natal, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), working through the Youth Environmental Services Programme, has trained hundreds of young people in biodiversity-related skills including eco-guiding, tourism services, and environmental education. These examples demonstrate that when knowledge is shared in accessible ways and supported through structured guidance, communities are able to take part in biodiversity-linked livelihoods with greater confidence and long-term benefit.

Framing biodiversity as a shared future

The way biodiversity is framed in public and institutional discourse shapes how people relate to it. When it is spoken about only in scientific terms, it becomes detached from social and economic life. Inclusive and context-aware communication restores this connection by positioning biodiversity as part of how people live, work, and organise their futures. When language encourages people to recognise themselves as contributors within the biodiversity economy, they are more likely to invest time, skills, and care into sustaining it. Realising the full potential of the biodiversity economy in South Africa depends on how effectively knowledge is shared and translated into practice. The channels that enable this exchange are essential because they determine who can participate and how benefits are distributed. Strengthening these systems of learning and dialogue will ensure that the biodiversity economy develops as a space where people and ecosystems thrive together.