GTI and the RBINS Capacity Building Project

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Institutional and individual capacity building projects

Introduction

The specific convention between the Belgian Development Cooperation and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (2003-2007) aims to contribute to a better knowledge of biodiversity and to reach a better implementation of international environmental conventions in developing countries.
Action 2 of the framework agreement focuses on the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) established under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The purpose of the GTI is to remove or reduce the 'taxonomic impediment' - in other words, the knowledge gaps in our taxonomic system, the shortage of trained taxonomists and curators, and the impact these deficiencies have on our ability to preserve biodiversity.

Type of support

Seed money is available for institutions or individuals from developing countries in need of taxonomic and curatorial training. Such training should invariably have a clearly identified output in terms of increased taxonomic and/or curatorial capacity for the developing country or its region.

Estimated number of supported projects

In 2005 the minimum amount of funding available to grant seekers is roughly 30.000 €. This amount will rise significantly in following years. Funding will cover both visits of trainees to Belgium, as well as visits of the Belgian tutor for the GTI (or equivalent, taxon-or subject dependent, tutor) to developing countries.

Amount of DGDC support per project

The rather limited amount of funding should allow up to twelve researchers to come over to Belgium to receive training in 2005. From 2006 to 2007, as more funding will become available, the number of visiting trainees will increase significantly.
Given the little amount of funding available, trainees are encouraged to seek additional funds from other funding bodies. The Belgian tutor for the GTI (or equivalent, taxon-or subject dependent, tutor) will annually carry out two to three training sessions on specific modules (each lasting one to two weeks) upon demand of partner countries.

Eligibility

The Belgian Development Cooperation has chosen to have privileged relations with 18 partner countries, mainly in Africa (Algeria, Benin, Burundi, DR Congo, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania), but also in South America (Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru), Asia (Vietnam) and the Middle East (Palestine). Individuals and institutes from other developing countries are nevertheless eligible to receive support and training.

Belgium's priority partners for development cooperation.

Content requirements

The capacity building should focus on:

• taxonomic or parataxonomic training (with a priority to extant zoological taxa)
• collections establishment and/or management (including local/regional collections)
• tools for the study of biodiversity (e.g. molecular methods for species identification) or to apply biodiversity data (e.g. taxonomic keys)

Note: the Belgian Development Cooperation has identified priority sectors of the Belgian cooperation in its 'Environmental strategic note' in 2003 and in its 'General policy note for 2004'. Projects addressing those issues will have an advantage.

Project period

Dependant on number and type of projects received annually.

Proposal preparation and submission instructions

See attached application form. Complete application form in English or French should reach the Belgian tutor of the GTI no later than 28 February 2007 to be eligible for the period April 2007 to March 2008.

Proposal

See attached pre-formatted application form.

Indicative timeline for review of proposals and execution of pilots

15 December 2006	Call for proposals distributed through Belgian CHM
28 February 2007	Proposals due
31 March 2007	Proposals reviewed
15 April 2007	Successful applicants contacted
April 2007 to March 2008	Execution of visits of trainees to Belgium
One month after completion of training	Reports of trainees due

Principles by which proposals will be reviewed

See selection criteria on application form.

Application Form eligibility

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