This project develops a strategic plan for the GBIF node in Ghana (GhaBIF) to enhance its capacity as a national biodiversity information institution. Biodiversity data needs and examples of data uses are documented to demonstrate the benefit to be derived from biodiversity data mobilization and sharing. The capacity of partner institutions across the country will also be enhanced through training activities on data publishing.
The data mobilization efforts target important biodiversity information gaps for Ghana. The partners will mobilize sample-based plant occurrence data to complement the specimen-based plant data that the node has already published. The project will also initiate the mobilization of vertebrate data from Ghanaian institutions, which will be a first major step for a vertebrate-oriented data mobilization effort in West Africa.
Project Progress
Building on the development and distribution of survey questionnaires, the project has begun analysing the results and preparing an inventory of biodiversity data holders in Ghana.
A workshop for stakeholders was carried out to identify the biodiversity information needs and requirements for Ghana. Following dedicated sessions to outline data use requirements, gaps and potential opportunities, the workshop covered facilitated discussions to address the priority of information needs and next step solutions regarding the GBIF node in Ghana. Utilising the outcome and questionnaire responses from the national stakeholder workshop, the first detailed assessment
of biodiversity holdings and user needs for Ghana was produced.
A second workshop aimed at training stakeholders on data mobilization, management and use is scheduled to take place before the end of the year with assistance provided by partner institutions including the University of Kansas.
Several stakeholder meetings have been organized through the project, as a result of the data needs workshop, and the project team is progressing towards a strategic plan for GhaBIF.
A team member from the project participated in the BID capacity enhancement workshop hosted by ARCOS in Rwanda and was awarded a gold badge. The knowledge gained from the workshop was useful for the project and used in the project's Knowledge Dissemination Workshop. The project (GhaBIF) held a Ghana Biodiversity Information Management Forum from the 22nd to the 23rd of March 2018 with 34 participants.
