Permanent seminar of the ExposUM Institute, "Science-Society Interface" focus area

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

A concrete example of operationalizing research at the science/society interface

Biological invasions, particularly by rodents, are responsible for a significant proportion of biodiversity loss, the spread of numerous reservoirs, vectors, and pathogens, and the dissemination of crop and stock pests that weigh heavily on global food security. International trade is the main driver of biological invasions. Large ports, which are vast industrial hubs, are therefore the main entry points for invasive organisms. Although little scientific data is available to guide the actions of port operators in this area, several international regulations aim to encourage the fight against these invasions.

In 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 in an African port. Its implementation is the result of numerous interactions between academic and non-academic partners and is a prime example of how scientific research can be put to work to address societal challenges. It is this long-term experience, which is still ongoing, that the speakers propose to share.

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