EfD Kenya presented research at international congress on biodiversity

Dr. Paul Guthiga of EfD-Kenya recently attended and presented research at an international congress on biodiversity held in South Africa, BIOTA Africa Congress 2008. More than 350 policy-makers, scientists, land users and other stakeholders from 20 African countries, Brazil and Germany discussed solutions for the challenges to Africa’s basis for survival – biological diversity – at Stellenbosch, South Africa from September 29 to October 3.

About 300 scientists from Africa and Germany presented their research work during the conference. Dr. Guthiga presented a paper on costs and benefits of conserving Kakamega forest under different management regimes.

The title theme of the congress was- “Biodiversity of Africa - Observation and Sustainable Management for our Future”. The conference was organised by South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and Biodiversity Monitoring Transect Analysis (BIOTA-Africa), which is a research project sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The project has been carrying out research on biodiversity conservation for the last 7 years in Eastern Africa (Kenya and Uganda), Western Africa (Benin, Burkina-Faso and Ivory Coast), Southern Africa (Namibia and SA) and more recently in Morocco and DRC.

Besides research, the project has a capacity building component which includes PhD training in German universities (of which Paul is a beneficiary).  During the congress, BMBF was strongly urged to extend the project beyond its current phase.

International organisations (UNESCO, GEOSS/GEOBON, WWF, IUCN, OSS) as well as relevant African ministries, research institutions and organisations attended the high-level congress.  Local land users and decision-makers participated in the congress as crucial partners in sustainable development.

To read more about the congress please visit: BIOTA Congress 2008

To learn more about BIOTA Africa please visit: http://www.biota-africa.org.