Dioscorea baya

Potential threats to Dioscorea in tropical Africa include habitat loss through deforestation, and expanding human settlements and associated agriculture. Additionally, they are threatened through abandonment as crop plants: reduced interest in cultivation of Dioscorea species will also likely reduce interest in their conservation management (Omosowon 2018). In Uganda, D. baya is threatened by deforestation of former forest habitats for urban expansion (WCS 2016). These threats are not considered to have a major impact on this species at the scale of its full range, however, they should be monitored over a period of time to ensure that their severity does not escalate (Omosowon 2018).

The genus Dioscorea is listed in Annex I of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) which aims to guarantee sustainable agriculture and food security through the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, as well as ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use (FAO 2009). Dioscorea baya is not known to be conserved ex situ (BGCI 2019, Genesys Global Portal on Plant Genetic Resources 2019). As such, gathering of wild germplasm material for ex situ conservation from wild populations across its full range is recommended. This species is known to occur in multiple protected areas across its range, so passive conservation is presumed in these localities (Protected Planet 2019); however, there is no evidence of active management or monitoring in these areas. Although the species is known to occur across a wide range, D. baya was listed as Critically Endangered in a Regional Red List for Uganda (WCS 2016).