Collections des Herbiers d’Afrique de l'Ouest et d'Afrique Centrale

The databasing (label information capture) and digitization (scan) of key African herbaria have been ongoing since the early 2000s. Many are now fully databased -e.g. in Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Togo-, and partially digitized. Recently, a BID project has allowed developing a platform around Gabon National herbarium, including a user portal, connection to GBIF, and a very detailed set of functionalities for databasing and curating the collection. The platform was then adapted in Congo within 'Sud Expert Plantes' Programme. Conditions now seem to be met for the next step: integrate the platform modules in a workflow based on LA software, and network herbaria collections in West and Central Africa by extending the platform to the regional scale. This regional platform will allow data sharing and promote better coordination between the countries in mobilizing biodiversity information of key interest for decision-making, education and research. Beyond collections, the platform will include further contents: published and grey literature, links to relevant national and international databases, as well as local knowledge, taxa pictures, and other illustration, so as to answer at best the needs expressed by the regional botanists’ associations ABAO and REBAC. In terms of software, this project will give a concrete example of how a BID project can produce sustainable and reusable tools, and of how BID can apply the FAIRS principles.

The following partners are involved: ● The first kernel of National herbaria as platform members include: Togo HNT (coordinator), Benin HNB, Côte d’Ivoire CNF, Guinea HNG, and Cameroon HNC, and Gabon HNGa will share its experience in using the platform at a national scale. ● PatriNat Unit in Paris Museum, European partner as technical support from GBIF France, and sharing experience in data validation, biodiversity assessment, and providing decision support.

During a regional workshop in Lomé in 2009, participants from Benin, Côte-d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Senegal, and Togo discussed the current evolution of herbaria and their progress in databasing and digitizing. They shared experience in herbaria management and in ways to make the best of these reservoirs of biodiversity information. They expressed the need to network and share their data to better support decision and improve policies in biodiversity management and conservation. Confirmed by ABAO and REBAC, this need is in line with the current axis 2 of Togo’s National Development Program and even more so with Africa's environmental policy, in particular, "Reversing the trends of degradation and reduction of natural resources, improving the management of the environmental heritage to support development". It covers a range of issues, addressed by the platform to mobilize available data in a FAIRS approach:: ● share quality and up-to-date data & analysis from several West and Central Africa countries, at the regional and global scale (including within GBIF) ● enhance South/South research collaboration ● improve regional involvement in international communities (eg GBIF, LA) ● enrich the regional LA platform and GBIF.org with an automatic workflow fetching data from national databases ● reinforce the involvement of scientists in decision-making at the national & regional scales ● provide policy-makers with efficient tools for environment data management/use ● contribute to sustainable development by integrating biodiversity data into environmental policies The platform is meant to be a pilot around pioneer countries, to be extended to other countries in the near future.

This project is funded by the European Commission on BID (Biodiversity Information for Development) Programme, through GBIF.