This project will increase capacity in the Pacific for data mobilization by broadening the geographic scope of GBIF in the region and by engaging partners who have not been involved with GBIF previously. The project will also expand the nature of the organizations involved; Primary partnerships are focused on departments and ministries charged with managing the environment or natural resources. However, we recognize the important roles performed by non-governmental organizations in the Pacific region. Many NGOs are involved in environmental management and monitoring; many provide employment opportunities for graduates and contribute significantly to sustainable development. Advice received from BID provides confidence that we are able to engage with the various territories in the region.
This project provides us with a rare opportunity to work with such a diverse group. Having said that, none of the partners are unfamiliar; we have invited participants with whom we have positive existing working relationships. This provides confidence in our ability to get the job done and reduces risk for the donor. As a result, we intend to endorse 10 new data publishers.
Alongside the capacity development, we are now able to consider the requirements for countries to adopt sound data management processes as standard operating procedures. These activities will focus on a smaller group of of our primary partners where we feel that there is an opportunity to improve policies and procedures for data mobilization and management. Alongside these activities, we intend to support five new Pacific Voting Participants in the GBIF network.
We will aim to increase the volume of Pacific data on GBIF by publishing 50 new datasets of 200,000 new records.
Project progress
On 10 November 2021, the project team delivered the Project Inception Workshop for the 21 project participants from 14 Pacific Island Countries and Territories. This event was a great success and it was delivered via Zoom. Much of the content was pre-recorded and is currently available to participants for use in their National GBIF Workshops.
The 14 National GBIF Workshops have been delayed due to covid restrictions preventing people from gathering.
The Regional Workshop is scheduled November 2022. If travel restrictions related to the Covid 19 pandemic, make this event impossible the activity will be redesigned, and the engagement will happen virtually. The Country visits to promote Data Policy and SOPs for data management are scheduled for 2022 as well.
There are 3 new data publishers registered on the SPREP IPT during the reporting period. The main publishing event will be the Regional Workshop. Missions to develop additional voting participants on the GBIF network are planned for 2022. Some of these missions are likely to happen, others will happen in 2023. Target countries include: the Marshall Islands, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
