Save Biodiversity through

Agro Eco Edutourism Model

in Southeast Asia
By:
Dr Zulhamsyah Imran
Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP
 TROPICAL BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity is the diversity among living things, from various sources including terrestrial,
coastal, marine and other aquatic ecosystems
• Tropical area covers almost 40 percent of the Earth's
surface.
• There are 78 percent of plants and animal species,
including amphibians, terrestrial mammals, fish, ants and
flowering plants.
• More than 91 percent of terrestrial birds can be found
and many more living elsewhere cross or visit the tropics
on their annual migrations.
• The tropics are also home of almost all shallow-water
corals and mangroves. Among the most characteristic
areas of the tropical region are the mangroves, a unique
ecosystem formed by trees or shrubs that grow in
saltwater and live semi-submerged in the intertidal zone
of the tropical or subtropical coasts. Ilustrasi keanekaragaman hayati (kehati). (Foto: greenrooftechnology) https://www.beritasatu.com
• Researchers estimate that at least 150,000 species are as
yet unknown to science.
 SOUTHEAST ASIAN BIODIVERSITY

Southeast Asia is a bio-cultural hotspot encompassing about 20% of global plant, animal and
marine species.

The region contains three mega diverse

countries — Indonesia, Malaysia and the
Philippines — where four of the world’s 25
biodiversity hotspots are located. Its montane
ecosystems are particularly noted for their high
diversity of ferns, mosses and orchids.

The more diverse in genes, species and

ecosystems, the stronger in carrying
capacity of the environment.
 BIODIVERSITY IS A KEY

Healthy ecosystems, interdependent webs of living organisms and their physical

environment, are vital to all life on Earth.

Biodiversity may contain seven

sources of life:
Food, Feed, Fuel, Fiber, Fertilizer,
Fashion, and Pharmacy

Biodiversity for Fun??

Sumber Ilustrasi: https://www.alodokter.com (2019)
 WHY IS TROPICAL BIODIVERSITY IN DANGER?

A current study suggests that the damage to biodiversity in the tropics could even be worse
than expected. Megadiverse of tropical ecosystems can be disappearing.
• Habitat destruction, pollution, over exploitation, invasive
species, agricultural intensification and ultimately global
warming are changing the tropical environment to
something completely different with drastically transition.
• WWF's latest Living Planet Report estimates that we have
lost 68% of all vertebrate wildlife populations since 1970.
That's more than half of all birds, mammals, reptiles,
amphibians and fish gone in just 50 years. During that time,
our population has more than doubled, increasing from 3.7
billion to over 7.9 billion today.
• IPBES reported that one million species are now at risk of
disappearing for good and according to the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species, 41% of amphibians, 25% of
mammals, 34% of conifers, 13% of birds, 31% of sharks and
rays, 33% of reef-building corals, and 27% of crustaceans
are threatened with extinction.
SEAMEO BIOTROP ACTIONS ON SAVE BIODIVERSITY

Save Biodiversity from Mountain to Ocean (MoTO)

 SEAMEO BIOTROP ACTIONS ON SAVE BIODIVERSITY

Vision: To become a reputable centre for sustainable biodiversity management in

Southeast Asia.
SEAMEO BIOTROP has three missions to achieve the
vision namely:
1. To deliver innovative products and technologies in
science education for saving biodiversity in
transforming best practices for the betterment of
Southeast Asia Societies.
2. To promote applied science education on
sustainable use of biodiversity for the well-being
of society in Southeast Asia.
3. To build highly competent human resources for
managing sustainable biodiversity in Southeast
Asia.
Priority Programs:
1. Save Biodiversity for Future Generations
2. Biodiversity Ranking and Database from Mountain to
Ocean
3. Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism in supporting Biodiversity
Conservation
4. School of Ecology, Biodiversity, and Aquatic
5. Climate, Energy, and Environment Literacy on
Biodiversity
6. Educational Model of Nature and Human-Made
Biodiversity: In- and Out-Class Teaching Learning
Process
 WHY TOURISM?

Tourism has positive impact on economical sector, but it becomes the global concerns due
to its impact on environment

• Tourism has been considered one of the most developed industries

in the world, as international tourist arrivals will reach 1.8 billion
by 2030 as predicted by the United Nations World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO)

• The Glasgow Declaration, at COP26 UN Climate Change

Conference, proposes a coordinated plan for tourism to support
the global commitment to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve
net zero by 2050.

• One of the strategic plans of the Association of Southeast Asian

Nations (ASEAN) in the tourism sector for 2016-2025 is to increase
the ability of tourism to overcome climate change
 AGRO-ECO-EDU-TOURISM

Ecotourism supports Biodiversity Conservation

• Biodiversity as an asset for nature-based tourism (ecotourism) provides

vital ecosystem services and commodities for sustainable use

• Ecotourism is characterized as the alternative tourism, which is

distinguished as cultural, educational, scientific, adventure, and agri-
tourism with rural, ranch, and farm subsets

• Ecotourism can be defined as an environmental activity that takes place

in well-preserved areas for recreation and with the responsibility of
promoting their conservation

• By encouraging local and indigenous populations in host nations, as

well as visitors, to maintain and appreciate the natural and cultural
heritage, ecotourism presents tremendous potential for biodiversity Tourism, Mass Tourism and Alternative Tourism
conservation, protection, and sustainable use of nature reserves (Butterworth-Heinemann, 2011)
 AGRO-ECO-EDU-TOURISM MODEL

Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism: promoting agricultural products, biodiversity conservation, and

learning packages
• The combination of
tourism activities by
utilizing the landscape
(ecosystem), educational
tourism, with Agriculture-
based activities as
attraction for the visitors

• Utilizing landscape and

environmentally friendly
facilities that can be
enjoyed by, especially, the
inclusive visitors and,
generally, others visitors
 AGRO-ECO-EDU-TOURISM
IN SUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism may be the potential way of solution to get tourism sector involves
in saving biodiversity
• Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism could aim to enhance genetic
conservation for endemic and superior species, to create
entrepreneurship and improve the productivity of
smallholder in food production system, and to improve
functionality of the ecosystem services

• Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism program also supports the Ministry

of Tourism and Creative Economy program, namely the
Tourism Working Group (TWG) G20 in creating community-
based tourism

• This program also supports Sustainable Development Goals

(SDG) no 4 on Quality Education and SDG no 13 on Climate
Action because the Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism program will
improve the skills of educators, education staff and
students and play a role in carbon mitigation
THANK YOU