Planning complementary conservation of crop wild relative diversity in southern Africa

Aim To identify priority areas for in situ conservation and collection of germplasm ex backup crop wild relative (CWR) diversity the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region as part an action plan use region's important CWR diversity. Location SADC region. Methods Diversity, gap climate change analyses at species ecogeographic levels were undertaken 113 regional taxa. Results hotspots identified Eswatini (former Swaziland), Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania Zimbabwe. Twenty-one per cent regionally occur exclusively outside existing protected (PAs), 50% are not conserved situ, 64% predicted to be negatively impacted by change. A total 120 PAs 13 countries containing populations likely persist future 80% taxa about these taxa; remaining can additional 151 complementary sites 11 countries. Democratic Republic Congo, Madagascar, Africa contain conserving which no negative impact is predicted. Priority provinces Bas-Congo (Democratic Congo) Cabinda (Angola) threatened should collected urgently conservation. Other rich that located Angola, Eswatini, Mauritius, Main conclusions We could form basis Network In Situ Conservation CWR. also selected filling gaps collections field survey.