Stakeholder mapping for the governance of biosecurity: a literature review

Abstract

There is an increasing recognition that greater stakeholder engagement is needed in the assessment, management and communication of risks around plant and animal health, and biosecurity issues more generally. Despite a growing number of studies considering the knowledge and actions of stakeholders in the governance of biosecurity issues, attempts to systematically identify, categorise or analyse stakeholders in this field are relatively rare. This paper therefore integrates literature from a range of disciplines to generate methodological and theoretical insights that may enable decision-makers to effectively map and analyse biosecurity stakeholders, and enable more transparent, inclusive and adaptive governance of biosecurity. The review starts by defining key terms, before discussing some of the challenges and benefits of effectively representing stakeholders in biosecurity strategies. The paper then reviews a range of theoretical approaches to stakeholder mapping, before critically analysing alternative methods for stakeholder mapping and analysis, which could be used in biosecurity interventions. These theories and methods are then discussed in relation to biosecurity governance, drawing on recent applications of stakeholder mapping in biosecurity policy and practice.