This presentation from the project team in the Seychelles highlights how biodiversity is being recognised as an asset by some sectors of the economy, and is now used in hotel marketing material. The team also shares lessons, including the importance of building partnerships between different sectors, encouraging dialogue between the government, NGOs and the private sector. The presentation was given at the ‘Biodiversity mainstreaming’ workshop held in Sogakope, Ghana, from 1-3 November 2016. More information: www.iied.org/nbsaps

1. Mainstreaming BD
Seychelles Progress and Challenges
ACCRA , November 2016

2. 1. Top people and processes you have
engaged with/influenced
• Engaged with various stakeholders from various
Sectors (e.g. fisheries, Tourism, Education) as well as
the policy makers (2 meetings with the Ministers,
Technical Advisors and also Principal Secretary)
• Ongoing processes (E.g workshop held earlier in
March, development of the Blue Economy, MSP and
BIOFIN Process)
• Also managed to undertake certain review on key
strategic document (e.g SSDS, NBSAP, TSAP, BE
Roadmap) to determine where BD can be
mainstreamed

3. 2. Top change achieved or expected
• Opportunities to mainstream BD in on-going processes
(e.g. in MSP, Land Use Planning).
• Finding linkages between all the key strategic policies
and recommending institutional set up (for national
plans and policies )
• Identifying the timing when BD can be mainstream (e.g
Mid Term review of National Plans- Tourism and
Education)
• Buy In to include BD mainstreaming into the Blue
Economy Roadmap

4. 3. Top lessons about successful
mainstreaming
• Increased level of awareness on the value and the use of
Biodiversity sustainably (e.g. tourism Sector)
• Increased financial and in kind support from the private Sector
• Enhance partnerships between sectors (e-g Government and
NGOS to Private Sector) with healthier dialogues
• Use of biodiversity to market certain product (e.g. hotels)
• Development of co-management agreements to manage
certain resource natural resource sustainably (e.g. Fish)
• Ownership of BD related initiative (e.g island restoration and
use of CSR for implementing BD Programmes

5. 4. Top challenge/problem where you
need help
• Coordination between institutions
• Willingness to review and implement the various plans
• Willingness to accept BD mainstreaming as a key
component of the various existing plans
• How and in what form will BD mainstreaming take into
the BE roadmap (there has been several discussions to
identify the process and also the potential form it will
take)

6. 4. Top challenge/problem where you
need help
• Coordination between institutions
• Willingness to review and implement the various plans
• Willingness to accept BD mainstreaming as a key
component of the various existing plans
• How and in what form will BD mainstreaming take into
the BE roadmap (there has been several discussions to
identify the process and also the potential form it will
take)