Training at ‘Centre de Surveillance de la Biodiversité’ (CSB), Kisangani, DR Congo

The training consisted of 3 different modules. The first module concerned training for the Clearing House Mechanism (CHM), an information system for centralising biodiversity data and information on the web installed by the CBD secretariat worldwide as one of the COP decisions. Ir. Han de Koeijer (CEBioS), together with Mr. Adelard Kazadi (Ministry of Environment, RD Congo) first provided a general introduction to the whole group, followed by a technical training to a select group of CSB staff. The purpose is to prepare CSB to become a ‘secondary CHM’ in support of the national CHM in Kinshasa for providing biodiversity information and data from the provinces through the provincial representatives,  and to provide scientific advice on biodiversity data and policy issues. It was also the occasion for Mr. Mike Ipanga (national CBD focal point for DR Congo) to explain to the scientific audience the national CHM and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to be endorsed before the end of 2015. This was followed by a lively session of questions-answers.

The second module, given by Dr. Maarten Vanhove (CEBioS), handled the bibliographic search in the web. It aimed at increasing skills to collect and select relevant information according to research questions or hypotheses for own knowledge update and as necessary background for own research and article writing. Different search strategies were tested and evaluated. The upcoming 2016 MRV call (‘Monitoring, Reporting, verification’) was also explained in detail.

The third module, given by Dr. Luc Janssens de Bisthoven (CEBioS), handled scientific and project writing. Next to some theory, discussions and feedback about co-authorship, the use of English by non-natives, oral presentations of own work, presentations through own scientific posters, the formulation of a research hypothesis, the structure of a project and linguistic and editorial advice, individual and group exercises were performed on different sections of a scientific article.

It was also the occasion to pay a visit to the local zoo of Kisangani, to discuss with the provincial Ministry of Environment and to visit INERA in Yangambi, in order to inform about the local conditions and the herbarium.

On the way back, CEBioS and the Ministry of Environment (DR Congo) paid a courtesy visit to the Belgian embassy and debriefed the Conseiller Mr. Alain Schmidt about the mission. Finally, the mission was concluded with a visit to the Kinshasa VVOB office, where the on-going awareness project with selected pilot schools in agro-forestry between CEBioS, VVOB, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Education was discussed in detail. The open door days for biodiversity in these schools proved to be very popular and a great success.

CEBioS wish to thank CSB for the excellent organisation of the workshops.

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