CEPA, Community Technology and Development Trust (CTDT) of Zimbabwe and Biodiversity Community Network (BCN) of Zambia in July 2006 initiated the establishment of the Southern Africa Biodiversity Policy Initiative (SABPI).

SABPI is a sub-regional network of civil society institutions working in biodiversity, biosafety trade development and environmental issues in Southern Africa. It was established in July 2006 and has a primary interest in policy research, analysis and advocacy in biodiversity, biotechnology and related matters as they affect livelihoods, trade, human health and environment in Southern Africa. The main mandate of the initiative is to implement complimentary activities pertaining to national policy on biodiversity, biotechnology, food security, international trade and intellectual property rights including the linkages between and among these.

Vision
A vibrant SADC Civil Society that effectively contributes to policy making processes on issues of biodiversity, biosafety and trade that contributes to food sovereignty, food secure future and promotion of free trade.

Mission
To promote, coordinate and facilitate participatory rights based approaches to policy formulations and adoption of strategies that strengthen policy planning mechanisms which promote and provide for issues relating to farmers rights, indigenous knowledge systems, community resource rights, access and benefit sharing, traditional practitioners rights, fair trade, food security and food sovereignty within the SADC region.

Objectives
SABPI will address the following objectives;
To mobilize national, regional and international stakeholders to discuss regional and international instruments relating to biodiversity and how these affect livelihoods, trade, human health and the environment
To facilitate the development of national and regional positions for the negotiation of international instruments and decision making forum
To support policy and legislation processes at national and regional levels that seek to implement regional and international instruments; and
To advocate for adoption of principles and best practices emanating from the above.

Thematic Areas
The following thematic areas define the focus of joint SABPI programmes and project development;

Intellectual property rights regimes;
Access and benefit Sharing;
Protection of indigenous knowledge systems;
Community based management of natural resources;
Environmental management;
Biosafety regulations and scope of application;
Biotechnology research policy and legislation.
Food aid policy/importation distribution
Impact studies on trade in agriculture
Participation of civil society in policy analysis

Membership Policy
SABPI is a membership initiative and is open to any individual or organization within the SADC region provided they are:
Actively involved in trade, biodiversity and biosafety policy and advocacy
Support the right to food, food sovereignty, food safety and free trade policies
Support and endorse SABPI mission, goals and objective

Key Strategies
Reviewing, analyzing and streamlining policy options;
Collecting analyzing and promoting sustainable solutions;
Develop and promote Information and documentation Center for SADC;
Organize conferences, training workshops, publish policy briefs, newsletters and information kits;
Translation of policy briefs and articles into different national and international languages;
Carrying out exchange visits with like minded institutions;
Sharing information on experiences related to the on-going activities relating to biodiversity; conservation, food security/sovereignty, environment and community and civil society participation in policy making processes

Membership Benefits
As a member you will have the opportunity and space to articulate critical policy positions within a vibrant community of activists, scholars, analysts and practitioners of an active and vibrant biodiversity, biosafety and promotion of fair trade movement within the SADC’s region

Current Activities
The following are some of the activities that CEPA is currently involved in:
CEPA is currently part of the process of developing guidelines for farmers rights in Southern Africa.
CEPA is currently conducting research on Trade and Development.
CEPA is also planning to participate in COP9 as such it is currently carrying out preparatory work in this regard.