A participatory workshop for the closure of MRV projects, and a closing workshop for the SureLive project in Uganda

From October 2^nd to 7^th, Luc Janssens de Bisthoven (coordinator of the CEBioS programme) and Hilde Keunen (CEBioS) went on a mission to Uganda. 

This mission consisted of two distinct components:  

• Firstly, CEBioS staff together with Prof. Maarten Vanhove (UHasselt, ex-CEBioS) facilitated a workshop for the closure of  the 2018 MRV projects in Entebbe. These projects aimed at promoting links between the world of science and policy makers in order to develop policy-relevant biodiversity indicators in the buffer zones of protected areas in English-speaking partner countries.

• Secondly, together with the participants of the MRV Closing workshop, the CEBioS team participated at the SureLive Closing seminar (TEAM VLIR-UOS project of the KU Leuven with Busitema University about landslides in the Mt Elgon Man and Biosphere site). The SureLive project contained an EVAMAB component, with the co-promoter of EVAMAB, Dr. Bruno Verbist and Koen Vanderhaegen, both KU Leuven. The SureLive team present at the seminar consisted of Prof. Em. Seppe Deckers, Prof. Jean Poesen, Prof. Liesbet Vranken, Prof. Miet Maertens, Prof. Moses Isabirye (Busitema University, Uganda) and others.

Conclusions

• The MRV Closing workshop allowed for many fruitful exchanges and resulted in the production of a policy brief about the relationship between the development of biodiversity indicators in protected areas with national development plans, taking into account several case studies from Uganda, Rwanda, Palestine, Ghana and Tanzania.
• The participation of the MRV stakeholders to the SureLive Closing workshop in Kampala was perceived by all participants as an enriching experience, calling for more cooperation and synergies.