SANBI has engaged with African countries associated with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) through the South African Biodiversity Information Facility (SABIF), in order to encourage and support improved biodiversity information management in the region. In 2009 the GBIF governing board endorsed the recommendation to have a series of regional meetings with the aim of improving the co-ordination of activities between the country nodes and the secretariat, as well as to support collaboration amongst nodes at a regional level.
A series of meetings and regional engagement opportunities were enabled through the regionalisation strategy and node managers from approximately 16 countries and five participant organisations have shown a continual increase in collaboration and capacity. This strategy has also encouraged further data mobilisation activity in the region, with more Nodes making data available for science, policy and global initiatives such as IPBES and international conventions such as the CBD.
A number of reports, including action plans for increased productivity in the field of Biodiversity Informatics, have been produced. Please click on the links below:
