How the platform started

In Sierra Leone, the foundations for a National Biodiversity Platform were laid through a Rapid National Landscape Review conducted under the CABES project. This review mapped existing science–policy–practice initiatives, institutions, and mechanisms related to biodiversity and ecosystem services across the country.

The review highlighted both strong progress—such as recent environmental law reforms—and persistent challenges, including fragmented coordination, overlapping institutional mandates, weak enforcement, and limited integration of scientific and Indigenous and Local Knowledge into decision-making.

Based on these findings, stakeholders agreed on the need to establish a National Multi-Stakeholder Biodiversity Platform to strengthen coordination, improve knowledge sharing, and better connect biodiversity science with national policy and development priorities.

Where things stand now (current status)

Sierra Leone is in the advanced design and preparation phase of its National Biodiversity Platform.

The platform is being developed with the Environmental Protection Agency of Sierra Leone (EPA-SL) as the proposed host institution, with strong engagement from line ministries, academia, civil society organisations, and community representatives.

Key preparatory steps completed or underway include:

• Completion of the Rapid National Landscape Review, identifying priority gaps, entry points, and institutional roles.
• Ongoing engagement with EPA-SL to finalise the platform’s scope, mandate, and governance arrangements.
• Development of annual work plans aligned with national priorities, including the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) (2024–2030), the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2017–2026), and the Feed Salone agricultural transformation agenda.

Formalisation / legalisation status

At present, the National Biodiversity Platform in Sierra Leone is not yet formally institutionalised.

Planned next steps include:

• Securing formal political and institutional endorsement, likely through the Environmental Protection Agency;
• Establishing a Steering Committee and Secretariat;
• Defining clear Terms of Reference and governance arrangements to ensure sustainability and cross-sector ownership.

Looking ahead

The next phase will focus on:

• Formalising and launching the platform;
• Establishing a shared Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Data and Knowledge Hub;
• Supporting ongoing national processes, including NBSAP review and implementation, MTNDP delivery, and climate–biodiversity linkages;
• Strengthening Sierra Leone’s engagement with IPBES global and regional assessments.