In March of 2021, Strathmore University School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH) was awarded a grant for the implementation of a BID project – BID-AF2020-014-NAC – on “Capacity development for mobilization and use of Biodiversity Information Development (BID) data on endangered bird species in Kenya”.

The project is funded by Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) as part of the 2021 Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) programme and co-funded by the International Foundation for Science (IFS). It will be implemented by STH, through the proposed Centre for Biodiversity Information Development (BID-C) for the period 2021-2023.

BID-C, currently in the process of approval through the Research and Innovation Division, will be the first centre under the School of Tourism and Hospitality established to lead major research initiatives on biodiversity conservation and to harmonize nature conservation projects and natural resource use in different landscapes in Kenya and across Africa.

The BID project emphasizes the training aspect of the BID programme’s mission by establishing a local community of practice for bird conservation and helping to improve the data acquisition, analysis and scholarly publication skills of this community using GBIF data. The project will aim to:

1. Integrate GBIF Biodiversity Information Development data into conservation decision-making via conservation policy briefs created in collaboration with the BID Fellows;
2. Enhance the use of BID data by graduate students and early-career scientists through the publication of peer-reviewed articles;
3. Strengthen the capacity of conservation managers to collect policy-relevant biodiversity data through citizen science.

The project will apply a Training of Trainers (TOT) model to enhance the capacity of graduate students, early-career scientists, and conservation managers to use BID data through collaborative publishing of conservation briefs and peer-reviewed articles.

The impact will be measured via;

• Number of graduate students, early-career scientists and conservation managers trained;
• Number of BID datasets downloaded from the GBIF data portal;
• Number of peer-reviewed articles and conservation policy briefs published in reputable journals with joint authorship of graduate students, early-career scientists and conservation managers;
• Number of data records published during the workshops onto the GBIF IPT via Strathmore University

 The Call for Applications for BID Fellows is open

 Eligible graduate students (Master or PhD level), early-career scientists and conservation managers in Kenya are invited to submit their applications to participate. Please click here for more details on the call.

The project lead/ principal investigator is Dr. David Chiawo, the Dean of – School of Tourism and Hospitality.

The project will be implemented by Strathmore University in partnership with iDigBio, International Foundation for Science, Kenyatta University, South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU), African Conservation Center(ACC), The National Museums of Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) for the period 2021-2022.

The project is co-funded by the International Foundation for Science (IFS)

 

For more information please visit BID programme funds 18 new projects in sub-Saharan Africa

 

This article was written by Veronica Muniu, School Manager, School of Tourism and Hospitality.

 

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