African Old Fungi Are Ignored, Even Though 90 Percent of Plants Depend on Them

JAKARTA - Fungi have long been out of the spotlight of animals and plants in conservation affairs. The Guardian, quoted Thursday, April 16, reported that African scientists are now pushing for fungi, or fungi, to be treated as important as flora and fauna, after more and more evidence has shown their role is very important in maintaining ecosystems and storing carbon.

The impetus came from a field that is limited in every way. In Madagascar, Anna Ralaiveloarisoa, the first mycologist born and raised in the country, said that less than 1 percent of the estimated 100,000 species of fungi there have been scientifically described. Mycologist is a scientist who studies fungi. He is currently classifying 200 new species that he has identified, while facing a not-so-light obstacle. The obstacle is minimal infrastructure, remote research locations, and almost no other experts in his country to be invited to work together.

"Mushrooms are one of the most important things in the world. They feed 90 percent of land plants. Without them, there is no life on Earth," said Ralaiveloarisoa.

The problem he faces is not one. Referring to The Guardian, many other African scientists are also pioneering research and conservation of fungi in their respective countries. Last November, many of them met for the first time at the International Congress on Mushroom Conservation in Cotonou, Benin. The forum brought together mycologists from 27 countries in Africa, Europe, America, and Asia, including a number of African scientists who are the only, or one of the very few, mushroom experts in their country.

Nourou Yorou, a mycologist who is now the director general of the Benin Science and Innovation Agency, said that this field has changed from an almost unknown area 20 years ago to a dynamic global movement. The next challenge, he said, is to put fungi in the conservation mainstream.

The reason is increasingly difficult to ignore. About 90 percent of plants on Earth depend on fungi for essential nutrients. Mycorrhizal fungi, which are fungi that live symbiotically with plant roots, also play a major role underground. Recent studies show that up to 36 percent of annual carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are stored in the underground mycelium of mycorrhizal fungi. Mycelium is the network of fine threads of fungi hidden in the soil.

David Minter, president of the International Society for Fungal Conservation, said fungi are often ignored even though their work keeps ecosystems running. He also reminded, fungi are not automatically protected just because there is a conservation policy for animals and plants. A 2025 study published in Nature found that less than 10 percent of the hotspots of mycorrhizal fungal richness are in protected areas.

In Africa, this movement was built through very personal hard work. Sydney Ndolo Ebika, the first mycologist of the Republic of Congo, once had to send an email to an overseas laboratory because he couldn't find a teacher in his country. Now he has established the first fungarium in Congo, a place to store mushroom samples for research and proof of new species. In Zimbabwe, Cathy Sharp took the educational path by researching children's knowledge of fungi and encouraging the topic to return to the school curriculum. Meanwhile, Joyce Jefwa from Kenya assessed that Africa is still looking for a form in mushroom conservation, but is beginning to find a common voice.

Several months after the Benin congress, participants released the Cotonou Declaration, a document highlighting the still-lacking representation of fungi in local, national, and global conservation policies. The message is that fungi have been overlooked for too long, even though without them life on land is also shaken.