ExposUM Institute’s Ongoing Seminar Series, “Science-Society Interface” Track

The Cotonou Port Environmental Monitoring Platform in Benin: a multi-stakeholder initiative for managing biological invasions linked to international maritime traffic.

A concrete example of translating research into practice at the science-society interface

Biological invasions, particularly those involving rodents, are responsible for a significant portion of biodiversity loss, the spread of numerous reservoirs, vectors, and pathogens, as well as the dissemination of crop and storage pests that place a heavy burden on global food security. International trade is the primary driver of biological invasions. Major ports, as vast industrial hubs, thus represent the primary entry points for invasive organisms. Although little scientific data is available to guide the actions of port stakeholders in this area, several international regulations aim to promote the fight against these invasions.

At the Autonomous Port of Cotonou in Benin, the Port Environmental Monitoring Platform was officially inaugurated at the end of 2021. This platform is the first laboratory dedicated to monitoring and supporting the management of invasive species to be established within an African port. Its implementation is the result of extensive collaboration between academic and non-academic partners and serves as a prime example of how scientific research can be put into practice to address societal challenges. It is this long-term, ongoing experience that the speakers propose to share.

Speakers: Gauthier DOBIGNY and Tasnime ADAMJY, UMR CBGP (IRD).