GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY

PROPOSAL FOR REVIEW

Project Title:     Southern Africa Biodiversity Support Programme

GEF Implementing Agency: UNDP		Executing Agency: SADC Forestry Sector

Requesting Countries and Eligibility:	Eligible for	Date of Endorsement
	Ratification of COB	UNDP Support	by GEF Op Focal Pt.
Angola	see note 1	X	see note 1
Botswana	X	X	28 February 1997
Lesotho	X	X	25 February 1997
Malawi	X	X	21 March 1997
Mozambique	X	X	20 February 1997
South Africa	X	X	5 May 1997
Swaziland	X	X	27 February 1997
Zambia	X	X	21 February 1997
Zimbabwe	X	X	12 May 1997

GEF Focal Area:    Biodiversity	GEF Programming Framework:	Multiple

Summary of Expected Outcomes:
The programme will enhance the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in southern Africa by strengthening regional biodiversity planning, cooperation and information exchange.  Under the leadership of the Southern African Development Conference the countries of the region will: establish a shared biodiversity information system and expertise network; develop and implement a regional strategy and action plan for the conservation and sustainable use of the region’s biodiversity; enhance regional capacity to manage information and formulate and implement policy relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; incorporate lessons from pilot activities in the sustainable use of biodiversity into all national and regional policies and programmes; and establish mechanisms for ensuring the continuity of the programme.

GEF Financing and Leverage
PDF allocation (Block A):	US$  0.022 million
Co-financing of PDF A (Donor):	US$  0.450 million
GEF Project Financing:	US$  4.482 million
Project Cofinancing (Donor):		US$  2.790 million (USAID, CIDA, GTZ, NORAD, World
					 Bank, Ford Foundation, IUCN)
Project Cofinancing (Nat. Govts):	US$  1.600 million
Total Project Cost:	US$  9.344 million ($8.872 plus $0.472 preparation)

Associated Financing	US$ 0.5 million (SADC EIS Programme -UNEP/GTZ)
	US$ 9.4 million (SABONET - UNDP/USAID/NBI)
	US$ 5.0 million (NETCAB - USAID/IUCN ROSA)
	US$ 1.3 million (SADC NRMP - USAID/IUCN ROSA) 
	US$ 0.2 million (Supporting Global Action - IUCN/SDC)
	GEF Biodiversity Enabling Activities in all eligible countries
	
IA Contact:	John Hough

Contents

Proposal:	Background and Context
		Programme Objectives
		Programme Description
		Institutional Framework
		Rationale for GEF Financing
		Sustainability and Participation
		Lessons learned and Technical review
		Programme Budget
		Issues, Actions and Risks
		Monitoring and Evaluation 

Annex 1.	Logical Framework presentation of Objectives, Outputs and Activities

Annex 2.	Priority Biodiversity Conservation Issues (Identified by the Southern Africa Biodiversity Workshop – IUCN/CIDA, 28 to 31 March  1993, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)

Annex 3.	Expected Programme Outputs

Annex 4.	Regional Biodiversity Information System: Draft Concept and Business Plan

Annex 5.	Proposed Functions of the SADC Biodiversity Programme Implementation Unit

Annex 6.	Regional Biodiversity Strategy: the justification for regional collaboration in 
		biodiversity conservation  

Annex 7.	Incremental Cost Analysis

Annex 8.	GEF STAP Technical Review

Annex 9.	Letters of Endorsement from GEF Operational Focal Points

Notes:

1. While Angola has initiated the process leading to ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity, until this process is completed no GEF resources will be spent on this country.  Support will be provided by non GEF resources from SADC, IUCN ROSA and other bilateral donors.

Acronyms

ELMS	SADC Environment Land Management Centre
IFFW	SADC Inland Fisheries, Forestry and Wildlife
NETCAB	IUCN Regional Networking and Capacity Building Initiative
NRMP	Natural Resources Management Programme
RBEN	Regional Biodiversity Expertise Network
RBIS	Regional Biodiversity Information System
SADC	Southern African Development Community
SASUSG	IUCN Southern African Sustainable Use Group
SETU	Environmental Information Systems Technical Unit

Background and Context

Summary
1. The objective of the programme is to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in southern Africa by strengthening regional biodiversity planning, cooperation and information exchange.  It will do this by assisting the countries of the region, through the mechanism of the Southern African Development Conference, to: establish a shared biodiversity information system and expertise network; develop and implement a regional strategy and action plan for the conservation and sustainable use of the region’s biodiversity; enhance, through training, regional capacity to manage information and formulate and implement policy relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; incorporate lessons from pilot activities in the sustainable use of biodiversity into all national and regional policies and programmes; and establish mechanisms for ensuring the continuity of this programme.  This programme will also assist the governments of the region to realize their obligations as parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Background
2. In addition to very high levels of species richness in countries such as Angola, South Africa and Zambia, southern Africa supports a wide array of globally important biological diversity sites including:

  •	arid and semi-arid ecosystems which include 38% of the world's succulent flora and are known sites of high endemism (eg. the Karoo-Kalahari-Namib desert region,)
  •	the whole of the Mediterranean-type ecosystem of the Cape Floristic Kingdom - the richest centre of botanical diversity and endemism in the world
  •	important coastal, marine and freshwater ecosystems, many of which have been designated as Ramsar sites or World Heritage Sites, or both.  (Okavango delta, Kafue wetlands, Mana Pools, Bengweulu Swamps, Lochinvar, St Lucia)
  •	forest ecosystems with unusual levels of endemism (the Guineo-Congolian forests of Angola; the Usambara/Inhambane forests of Mozambique, the Afro-montane forests of Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe).
  •	mountain ecosystems with high levels of endemism (the Huambo and Huila highlands of Angola, the Chimanimani of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the Nyika of Malawi/Zambia, the Drakensberg of South Africa and Lesotho, and Mt. Mulanje of Malawi.)

3. While most of the countries of the region have established extensive protected area systems in order to safeguard much of this biodiversity, a significant number of threats still remain.  A number of these cannot easily be solved by each country working alone – particularly in the case of trans-boundary ecosystems or where species migrate across borders.  Trans-boundary poaching, and trans-boundary commerce in biodiversity also requires cooperation.  In other cases cooperation between countries can increase efficiency and lower costs.  Additionally, there are benefits associated with countries learning from each other - copying best practises rather than “re-inventing the wheel”.  Particularly good examples of this are in the sustainable use of wildlife and community based natural resources management where several countries in the region have considerable experience and expertise that could profitably be shared with others throughout the region.

4. The countries of southern Africa share common problems with respect to the physical decline and loss of biodiversity, and the underlying factors contributing to such decline and loss.  The economies of all countries in the region are heavily dependent on their natural resource base.  In particular, the region’s economic development is based on foreign exchange revenue from the export of mining, ranching and agricultural products to service global demands.  This in turn has a significant impact on land-use practices, and is a significant contributor to the conversion of natural habitats and therefore biodiversity decline and loss.  These problems are augmented by the limited and scattered information base, and the lack of clear national and regional priority setting with respect to land use, development, and conservation planning.  Further, each individual nation within the region (with the possible exception of South Africa), has limited human and institutional capacity.

5. While these common social, institutional and policy problems are the paramount factors affecting the region’s efforts to manage and conserve biodiversity, these commonalities can also be exploited in working to address the problem.  In particular there are opportunities to:

-	share information through the development of common standards, classification systems, compatible information architectures, and methods for sharing and exchange;
-	strengthen expertise through the pooling of knowledge and use of scale economies; and
-	develop a common strategy to address regional and trans-boundary problems.

6. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was established with a view to resolving common problems and taking advantage of the opportunities presented by regional cooperation.  SADC functions through a series of sectoral commissions, each led by a Council of Ministers and supported by the national technical agency in the lead country for that sector.  Hence regional coordination and synergy is achieved without the costs associated with establishing special regional structures.  Policy coordination is achieved through the Council of Ministers and technical coordination through lateral communication between technical agencies under the guidance of the technical agency in the lead country for each sector.  SADC has been very effective in some sectors, for example in developing regional policies aimed at promoting a regional focus and cooperation in wildlife and in forestry.  However, so far it has been less successful in developing co-ordinated mechanisms and activities for regional cooperation in biodiversity policy or management.  This programme will assist it to resolve this problem.

Programme Objectives:

7. The overall goal of the Southern Africa Biodiversity Programme is to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in southern Africa by strengthening regional biodiversity planning, cooperation and information exchange.  Specific programme objectives are:
-	to improve the availability and accessibility of biodiversity information and its application in conservation planning and management
-	to achieve cross-sectoral national and regional cooperation and coordination in the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity
-	to enhance national and regional institutional capacity for implementation of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use activities  
-	to integrate effective policies and practices relating to the sustainable use of biodiversity into all national and regional planning and programmes
-	to develop sustainable financing mechanisms to ensure the continuity of regional cooperation in biodiversity management.

8. A Logical Framework matrix presentation of the programme objectives, outputs, and activities is given as Annex 1 and a list of expected programme outcomes as Annex 3.

Programme Description:

9. The programme will involve nine key countries of the southern African region in a collaborative programme of activities related to national implementation of the CBD. The programme is designed to improve cooperation and to build capacity both within and between participating nations and to integrate sustainable use into biodiversity conservation and other sectoral programmes.  The programme will produce five key outputs, each arising from a series of targeted activities (Annex 1). 

10. The outputs are:

i)	A shared regional biodiversity information system (RBIS) and regional biodiversity expertise network (RBEN);

ii)	A regional biodiversity conservation and sustainable use strategy, action plan and monitoring system;

iii)	Enhanced capacity of southern African nationals to manage information and formulate, implement and monitor policy relating to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity;

iv)	Results of pilot activities and studies on sustainable use of biodiversity influencing the development of national and regional policies and programmes; and

v)	National and regional strategies and mechanisms in place to ensure sustainable long-term funding for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use activities. 

Output 1:	A shared regional biodiversity information system (RBIS) and regional biodiversity expertise network (RBEN)

11. This component will build on the national environmental information systems (known as ‘Biodiversity Information Centres’ or ‘BICs’), currently being developed in most southern African countries with the support of the SADC Environmental Information Systems Technical Unit (SETU) based in Harare, Zimbabwe (see Annex 4). The programme will bring together a network of national biodiversity information institutions and individual experts and broker agreement on regional data-set standards, biodiversity information classification systems, compatible software and information management procedures. This will facilitate data-set exchange between countries and institutions in the region (e.g. SADC sectors, Universities, Botanical Centres and Natural History Museums, Southern African Bird Atlas, ELESMAP, TRAFFIC, etc.) and outside the region (UNEP, WCMC, Birdlife International, etc.). The network and information system will also function to disseminate biodiversity information in appropriate formats to relevant end-users, notably conservation and development planners and managers.

12. Linkages will also be established with the UNEP INFOTERRA, BDM and GRID programmes, the IUCN/WCMC Biodiversity Conservation Information System (BCIS), the World Bank Sub-Sahara Africa EIS Programme, the GEF Project on Inventory, Evaluation and Monitoring of Botanical Diversity in Southern Africa, the SADC Forestry Regional Information System, and the IUCN/CIDA Zambezi Basin Project, and other relevant regional and national information activities.

13. The multi-disciplinary expertise network (RBEN) will consist of at least one national representative from each of the GEF member states and will incorporate Specialist Groups on each of the operative articles of the CBD. The network will build on the existing expertise within the SADC Sectors and National Biodiversity Groups, as well as those working within IUCN’s Commissions and specialist groups. During implementation it will be guided and supported by the programme implementation unit and will build regional self-reliance by harnessing regional capacity to address current and potential threats to biodiversity conservation.  Close links will be developed with other existing relevant regional and global networks.  The network (RBEN) will administer the RBIS; develop a regional biodiversity monitoring system and conduct regular assessments of the status and trends of national biodiversity conservation and use (see Output 2, below); and provide assistance to national biodiversity country studies already underway and to the formulation of policies and strategies; select and oversee the implementation and use of the results from priority pilot studies on the sustainable use of biodiversity (see Output 4, below). 

Output 2: Regional biodiversity conservation and sustainable use strategy, action plan and monitoring system

14. This component will develop a regional strategy and action plan and promote and support its implementation by the southern African states.  The strategy and action plan will focus on problems identified at the national level (through ongoing processes associated with the development of national biodiversity strategies and action plans - a number of which are GEF funded – see Annex 7.) which require regional approaches and solutions. The process and responsibilities for review, up-dating and monitoring implementation of the strategy and action plan will be agreed. Both strategy and action plan will be up-dated on a regular two-year cycle, incorporating lessons learned from both national and regional activities.  

15. A  specific system will be designed to monitor the implementation and impact of the regional strategy and action plan. Key indicators of sustainability (both ecosystem and human well-being) will be developed, drawing from the work of the SADC, World Bank, UNDP, UNEP, FAO, IUCN, IDRC, WRI and others, as well as existing monitoring systems and processes where appropriate. The monitoring system will be housed in an appropriate information institution in the region, (such as SETU – see Output 1, above and Annex 4). It will be managed by SADC with technical support from the regional biodiversity expertise network (RBEN). Results and recommendations from the monitoring system will be fed back to national institutions and country processes. Specific recommendations will be made to SADC for incorporation into regional biodiversity and other sectoral studies, strategies and policies. 

16. This component represents a coordinated regional response to Articles 6, 7, 8, 10 and 14 of the CBD, and the main strategic considerations in the GEF Operational Strategy for Biological Diversity (including the integration of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into regional sustainable development plans and polices). It will also facilitate responses to the COP decisions on sectoral integration relevant to marine, agricultural and forest biodiversity.

Output 3: Enhanced capacity of southern African nationals to manage information and formulate, implement and monitor policy relating to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

17. A regional training needs assessment for biodiversity conservation professionals in the SADC region will be carried out to determine regional training needs (relevant to implementation of the CBD) and as the basis for development of a regional training strategy.  Existing national and regional training opportunities and institutions will be evaluated and promoted as appropriate (building on the SADC Inventory of Regional Training Programmes and sector specific training assessment currently underway). The programme will give technical support to existing relevant programmes and will develop, fund and coordinate up to 2 new short course training programmes per year of the programme, in priority subject areas not included in existing programmes. These will include techniques relating to biodiversity inventory, monitoring, information management, policy formulation and review, and community participation in biodiversity conservation.  These will in no way duplicate or replace existing training programmes, such as those in botanical inventory being supported by the GEF SABONET project or support being provided through GEF financed biodiversity enabling activities.  Rather they will complement and enhance these.

18. This component emphasises the cost-efficiency of regional training programmes for specific skills required to enhance national capacity relevant to biodiversity conservation, and to respond to the various capacity-building decisions of the COP. Regional training will also contribute to a broader sharing of experiences and regional integration of management activities and policies.

Output 4: Results of pilot activities and studies on sustainable use of biodiversity influencing the development of national and regional policies and programmes

19. The programme will provide direct financial assistance to pilot field activities and analysis relating to sustainable use of biodiversity and implementation of the CBD. Selection criteria will be established and proposals reviewed against these criteria by the programme Technical Committee (see Institutional Framework and Annex 5). The identification of priorities for pilot activities will build on the work of existing programmes. Notably, the SADC Wildlife Sector, in collaboration with IUCN, WWF and Africa Resources Trust, under the USAID financed SADC Natural Resources Management Programme (SADC NRMP), and the work being conducted by the SASUSG, financed by USAID, under the IUCN Regional Networking and Capacity Building Initiative (NETCAB).

20. The results of pilot studies will be published and widely disseminated and the lessons learned will be incorporated into national and regional biodiversity strategies and action plans, as well as associated legislation and policy.  The programme will also promote the integration of the results and recommendations on sustainable use principles and practice into other sectoral planning and policies, both nationally and regionally.

21. Activities under this component are directly relevant to the operational programme focus on the sustainable use of biodiversity in the GEF Operational Strategy, and Article 10 of the CBD. USAID has provided an initial grant of USD 150,000 for pilot work on community based natural resource management to assess and improve the ecological and economic sustainability of this approach.  Further support needs to be provided to other approaches and to assess the constraints and opportunities for sustainable use of biodiversity within national and trans-boundary ecosystems.

Output 5: National and regional strategies and mechanisms for long-term funding of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

22. The programme will establish clear local, national and regional priorities for funding biodiversity conservation through participatory workshops involving all relevant governmental and non-governmental institutions and other stakeholders. An inventory will be compiled of existing, externally funded biodiversity projects, including those relevant to implementation of the CBD, and lessons learned from the funding experience of existing projects will be disseminated regionally. A regional support mechanism will be created to assist the region to obtain new and additional funding for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use activities.  New and innovative financing mechanisms will be explored, evaluated and piloted, for species, sites and ecosystems conservation and sustainable use at both national and regional (trans-boundary) levels.

23. Activities under this component will link closely with the COP3 decision on additional financing, and the need to reduce dependence on “donor market” investments.  Southern Africa has a range of existing experience in this regard, such as Park Authority managed game auctions, private sector support (Sabi Sand Reserve, Save Conservancy, Conservation Corporation Africa, etc.), CBNRM programmes generating local and district revenue streams, corporate support for conservation NGOs (WWF-South Africa, Endangered Wildlife Trust), and financing schemes, such as the Nedbank Green Trust, Community Based Venture Capital Funds, and others being explored by the Ford Foundation. 

Institutional Framework

24. The programme will be coordinated by a Programme Implementation Unit (PIU) based under the SADC Forestry Sector Technical Coordination Unit, which is housed in the Ministry of Natural Resources, and will comprise officers drawn from the SADC Forestry Sector TCU and an advisor provided by IUCN ROSA.  The PIU will be guided by a Technical Committee with membership drawn from the SADC member states and relevant NGOs and supported by Member countries’ biodiversity contact points, SADC IFFW sectoral networks, and the IUCN network.  The terms of reference for the PIU and the Technical Committee are attached as Annex 5.

25. The role of SADC Forestry as a “SADC Focal Point for Biodiversity” was agreed within the SADC FANR Sector Meeting of July, 1996.  This is an interim decision, pending a SADC Council decision on the designation of lead sector responsibility for biodiversity.  Once a SADC lead sector is agreed upon, the programme will be transferred to the appropriate institution. It is anticipated that such agreement will be catalysed by the programme and will be reached during the course of programme implementation. Thus the programme provides critical support to kick-start regional coordination and action relevant to the CBD and will act as a source of technical support, facilitating the rapid establishment of biodiversity coordination under a future SADC lead sector. 

26. The sustainable financing mechanism to be created under Output 5, will also require an appropriate institutional base.  All relevant options will be considered during implementation, taking account of progress on a lead sector for biodiversity within SADC.

Rationale for GEF Financing

27. The programme responds to the prevailing trends of biodiversity deterioration in the region - as identified in National Environmental Action Plans, National Conservation Strategies, or Green Plans, produced by most SADC countries over the past 10 years.  It will build national capacity, regional self-reliance and cooperation in the implementation of the CBD in southern Africa.  It addresses key elements of the GEF Operational Programme for Biodiversity, and targets action at the full spectrum of ecosystems in the region. The proposal focuses attention and resources on sustainable use activities for biodiversity conservation, recognising this to be an important long-term strategy for the conservation of biodiversity in southern Africa. Both the approach and expected outcomes are directly compatible with the priorities set by the COP to the CBD, as well as the GEF Operational Strategy, and provide direct support to national implementation of key operative articles of the CBD itself (e.g. Art. 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18).

28. The programme will provide a framework for equitable participation by all the participating states and will facilitate regional support to nationally defined priorities and implementation activities. At the national level, the programme strengthens the abilities of Parties to the CBD to prepare National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (BSAPs) and their national reports to the COP, thus meeting their obligations under Articles 6 and 26 of the CBD.  It will facilitate national preparation for participation in COPs and SBSTTA meetings, and assist in the translation of global decisions into national and sectoral policy. Support will be provided through improved access to biodiversity related-information and technical support from the region, as well as targeted training and support to pilot projects testing sustainable use strategies and various financing mechanisms for biodiversity conservation (Art. 12 of CBD).

29. At the regional level, the programme responds to Articles 6, 8, 17 and 18 of the CBD by improving trans-boundary management of ecosystems; extending biodiversity assessment and monitoring; and developing an enabling regional environment (including policy and awareness) to promote national responses to the CBD.  Programme implementation through the combined efforts of a regional economic integration organisation (SADC) with technical support from a regional conservation organisation (IUCN ROSA), will facilitate the development of complementary National BSAPs within neighboring states, and the emergence of a standardised regional biodiversity information system. Coordinated regional support to National BSAP development, pilot projects and case studies will allow for the synthesis and distribution of lessons learned in a politically relevant regional context.

30. Synthesis of the region’s experience and expertise in the sustainable use of biodiversity should provide important benefits to the rest of Africa and the global community in the form of improved knowledge on the critical constraints and limiting factors to this approach. The southern African states share an emerging and innovative sustainable use philosophy, involving both public and private sectors, which is being field tested in a variety of ways throughout the region. Strategies arising from this philosophy are beginning to demonstrate the potential for improved biodiversity conservation as part of sustainable rural development initiatives.  Greater coordination, monitoring and analysis of activities is required to ensure that the lessons learned are applied more widely, both in the field and in policy formulation and reform.

31. The programme also provides an opportunity to assess the contribution which regional economic integration organisations, in collaboration with regional conservation organisations, can provide to supporting the implementation of the CBD and to facilitating improved participation by regional states in CBD meetings (i.e. COP and SBSTTA).  The initial institutional support to SADC in establishing a coordinated programme for biodiversity is critical, and should result in a permanent sector responsibility being assigned and maintained under the existing SADC structures. The development of a regional biodiversity information system will facilitate global access to and use of such information, providing direct linkages with the Clearing House Mechanism (and related COP3 decisions) and a potential model for replication in other regions. The programme will provide lessons (of global applicability) on regional approaches to the sustainable use of biodiversity and national and trans-boundary ecosystem based approaches to conservation. It will facilitate a focused and coordinated regional approach to inland fresh water systems, such as Lake Malawi and the Zambezi River System, and other regional ecosystems which are recognised as being of global importance. 

32. The programme will support national Enabling Activities relevant to the CBD, by catalyzing and supporting the production of national Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, by providing a regional forum for biodiversity expertise to support planning and implementation and by facilitating sharing of information relevant to trans-boundary ecosystems and migratory species. Many countries in the region have initiated Enabling Activities in the form of country studies and strategies (e.g.  Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe). All these countries have verified their interest in, and the value of, securing regional support for their activities as well as coordinating their national strategies within a broader regional strategy. The whole region has endorsed this vision for their future implementation plans, as reflected in the resolutions of the second sub-regional meeting on CBD in Maputo, Mozambique in August 1996. Support for the programme has also been given by the SADC Council of Ministers Meeting of August 1996 in Lesotho, which reconfirmed the importance of the sustainable use of natural resources to the overall economic development of the region, and the necessity for improved regional initiatives towards this end.  The programme is also closely coordinated with, and is complementary to, SABONET, whose establishment is supported in part by the GEF, which is more narrowly focused on  the inventory, evaluation and monitoring of botanical diversity.

Sustainability and Participation

Participation
33. The programme concept and the proposal stem from an extensive and highly participatory 4 year process of consultations and discussions with key target groups including a series of workshops, discussions at events such as the SADC sector annual meetings, IUCN regional meetings, the regional GEF project development workshop, as well as direct communication with a wide range of interested parties and experts.

34. The Southern Africa Biodiversity Workshop (IUCN/CIDA), Zimbabwe, March 1993 was attended by representatives from all Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Member States and a variety of NGOs. The meeting provided the conceptual framework for programme development and called on SADC to establish a regional biodiversity forum. The purpose of the forum would be “to promote the conservation of biodiversity in southern Africa and ensure its sustainable use by supporting intra-regional and national institutions in developing and coordinating activities to protect, understand and restore species and their habitats, and to improve the availability and accessibility of biodiversity information”. A number of specific regional priorities for action were identified, including the need for regional networking, human and institutional capacity building, strengthened information exchange across the region and collaborative policy, planning and action relating particularly to trans-boundary ecosystem conservation and management (Annex 1).

35. At the Southern African States Workshop on Strategies to Implement the Convention on Biological Diversity (NORAD/SIDA), Malawi, October 1995, southern African  governments and representatives of relevant institutions and NGOs acknowledged that regional cooperation, coordination and partnerships are essential for achieving the sustainable use of regional biodiversity and equitable sharing of its benefits. They recommended that SADC Inland Fisheries, Forestry and Wildlife (IFFW), SADC Environment Land Management Sector (ELMS) and IUCN’s Regional Office for southern Africa (IUCN ROSA) should develop a proposal for a Southern Africa Biodiversity Programme. The Second Sub-Regional Meeting on the Convention on Biological Diversity (NORAD), Mozambique, August 1996 reviewed, revised and endorsed the programme document developed by SADC IFFW, SADC ELMS and IUCN ROSA.

36. This broad range of participation will be maintained in the implementation of the programme.  In focusing effort on the strengthening of self-reliance, and the development and utilisation of existing regional capacity (both human and institutional), the programme contributes significantly to long-term sustainability of biodiversity conservation action.  In casting this as a regional programme, and emphasizing the importance of regional collaboration and coordination, the programme aims to develop a network of institutions (both in and outside government) which can work together (collaboratively and through peer pressure) to maintain action after the life of the programme.

Sustainability
37. Sustainability will be achieved by building on existing structures and programmes in a catalytic and targeted manner to improve their ability to service long-term national goals relating to the CBD.  A key indicator of sustainability will be a measurement of national capacity to implement the CBD and participate in COP negotiations, as well as a measurement of continued regional support to countries whose capacity is threatened by ongoing structural adjustment.  

38. The regional workshops which framed the original programme concept identified a key element to be the development of “peer pressure” within SADC to catalyse and maintain national implementation of the CBD.  Bilateral donors in the region also believe their support to national implementation of biodiversity country studies, strategies and action plans will achieve greater results under the proposed regional support framework.  The programme implementation unit will maintain close links with the donor community to mobilise additional support for national activities, and to explore innovative financing mechanisms through which such support can be channeled.  Specific attention will also be given to developing economic and financial justifications for improved national government allocations to biodiversity conservation related activities and agencies.  

39. The regional biodiversity information system (RBIS) will be established on the basis of an existing regional EIS programme (SETU) and existing and emerging national programmes (Annex 4).  The programme will finance the process of reaching agreement on regional (and internationally compatible) standards for classification systems and information management procedures, the brokering of initial data transfer agreements, and the development of a regional monitoring system.  With these standards, precedents and systems in place, on-going costs of maintenance will be nominal. 

40. The collaboration of SADC, IUCN and other NGOs in the programme will provide a broader network of regional capacity to ensure sustainability.  Preliminary discussions within the SADC Council on a lead biodiversity sector are scheduled for 1997, and the eventual conclusions of such discussions should result in the establishment of a SADC Biodiversity Sector Technical Coordination Unit.  Establishment of this unit will be catalysed and supported by the programme, with SADC assuming financial responsibility for the Biodiversity Sector TUC at the conclusion of the programme.

Lessons Learned and Technical Review

41. In assessing lessons learned from other GEF projects, priority was given to assessing the first GEF/UNDP African regional biodiversity project, Institutional Support for the Protection of East African Biodiversity.  The GEF East African Biodiversity Project Coordinator participated in one of the planning meetings and a member of the independent mid-term evaluation team for this project also contributed to programme development.

42. Factors which facilitated the success of the East African project and which are also relevant to Southern Africa were:
 
•	existence of shared, trans-boundary resources, and similar bio-geographical regions;
•	economic dependence in all participating countries on biodiversity;
•	a relatively high level of education in the institutions relevant to biodiversity (true within the Southern African region as a whole though not nationally)
•	research and training institutions well established;
•	relatively free press;
•	relative political stability;
•	history of co-operation between the countries involved;
•	renewed agreement on regional co-operation at the political level;
•	all countries signed the Biodiversity Convention and most have ratified;
•	two countries already undertaken Biodiversity Country Studies;
•	NEAP process going ahead in several countries;
•	other donor support available nationally to complement the project’s limited activities; and,
•	some countries further advanced in certain aspects of resource conservation than the others, and therefore having experiences the others can benefit from.

43. Factors which may have impeded progress in regional co-operation and which could be relevant in Southern Africa:

•	institutional uncertainties, especially in the focal institutions;
•	institutional rivalry;
•	rivalries between countries
•	lack of an effective regional integration organisation to facilitate regional co-operation; and,
•	difficulty in identifying government staff to take part in the project.

44. The East African project aimed to bring about significant institutional change (as opposed to strengthening of existing institutional structures) and was rather ambitious in the degree and rate of change it expected. The Southern Africa programme will strengthen capacity rather than change national institutions. 

45. The East African project emphasised the collection and processing of biodiversity data with little follow through to planning and management, hence the need for action plans in addition to strategies.  It also paid very little attention to involving the sectors which have an impact on biodiversity.  Its direct impact on slowing the depletion of biodiversity was therefore limited. The Southern Africa programme will avoid this problem by involving biodiversity planners and managers from the beginning, through the expertise network, by providing access to the data in a form which they can use, and by involving them in the preparation of the regional biodiversity strategy and its implementation nationally. Raising the awareness of and directly involving the relevant sectors will be addressed early on in the planning process for this programme.

46. A major problem in the East African project was its blueprint nature; there was very little flexibility to change direction midway. The Southern Africa programme will be process oriented and will have funds available for new initiatives to respond to opportunities which may arise during the course of the programme. 

47. The East African components for local activities helped to keep the project in touch with reality on the ground; the support of pilot activities on sustainable use of biodiversity will provide this service to the Southern Africa programme.

48. Monitoring of the effectiveness of the East African project on biodiversity conservation was problematic. Attention will be given to this aspect early on in this programme, and tangible indicators developed.

49. The GEF STAP Technical Reviewer raised two key issues regarding the programme: the level of detail provided; and stakeholder access to programme benefits. Both of the above have been clarified in the text and are further addressed here:

(i)	while some indication of the vast array of existing programmes and activities, as well as shared experiences and common problems, is given in Annexes 6, 2, and the “Background” section, currently no comprehensive cataloguing or documentation of these exists at a regional level.  The ability to describe, coordinate, and draw and apply common lessons across these will in fact be a key outcome of this programme.  As noted above, the programme description represents a compromise between prior specification of all activities versus the need demonstrated in East Africa to retain flexibility.  Paragraph 57 explains that specificity will be embedded in the process of semi-annual work planning, under the guidance of the Technical Committee.  This process will also define the specific indicators relevant to these.

(ii)	at the core of the programme is cooperation between international governmental and non-governmental organisations (SADC and IUCN).  Ensuring that programme benefits extend to ALL national and local stakeholders as well as these international parties is essential to programme success and is implicit throughout the programme.  In fact many of the specific mechanisms for interaction between governmental and non-governmental and private sector organisations in biodiversity conservation are better worked out in some southern Africa countries than anywhere else in the world (examples include private reserves in South Africa and the CAMPFIRE and LIRDP experiences in Zimbabwe and Zambia).  The programme will enable the sharing of this experience throughout the region, as well as the drawing of lessons for application elsewhere in the world.

Programme Budget

50. A GEF contribution of US$ 4.482 million is proposed, in addition to US$ 2.79 million of other donor cofinancing already obtained, to cover the full incremental costs over a five year period of expanding the baseline programme of US$1.6 million to fully achieve the programme objectives.  So far the preparation of this proposal over a 24 month period has been jointly financed through a GEF PDF Block A Grant from UNDP, and contributions from IUCN, CIDA and USAID for further work in preparing the regional biodiversity information component.  Contributions from NORAD and SIDA in supporting the 1995 and 1996 regional biodiversity workshops are also acknowledged. 

51. SADC and national government contributions to the programme include the provision of staff, office space and basic operational expenses to the SADC programme implementation unit as well as the national biodiversity contact points and the SADC sector contact points (i.e. Inland Fisheries, Forestry, Wildlife, etc.).  This contribution in kind represents an estimated US$ 150,000.  Additional contributions in kind will be provided from the services provided by other SADC programmes, including SETU, SADC Inventory of Regional Training Programmes, etc.  These contributions are valued in excess of US$ 750,000 - with SETU alone providing its own core funding of over US$ 550,000 over the life of the programme.

52. Programme components and sources of financing are shown below:

Programme Budget (US$)

Notes to Budget: (see over)

Notes to Budget:

1. Government/SADC Contributions are direct cost contributions.  Significant indirect cost contributions in the form of financial allocations to relevant national departments and their operations are not included in this budget.  These indirect cost contributions are estimated to average a minimum of USD200,000 per country per year, bringing a total of USD10 million over 5 years in indirect cost contributions.

2. Other Donor Contributions to the Regional Information System and Expertise Network include direct
contribution of USAID/CIDA to RBIS development (over USD100,000), GEF/USAID support to SABONET, CIDA support to the biodiversity information and storage the Zambezi Basin Programme, and CIDA support to theSADC Forestry Information System.  Not included in the budget but relevant to the programme is bilateral support from NORAD, CIDA et. al. to National GIS and States of the Environment Reporting activities in Zambia, Zimbabwe,Malawi, etc.. and UNEP action within GRID, BDM etc...

3. Other Donor Contributions to the Regional Strategy and Monitoring System include USAID/IUCN Funding to aRegional Environmental Strategies Network, and IUCN/WWF work on biodiversity indicators and monitoring.

4. Other Donor Contributions to the Training Promotion and Short Courses include USAID/IUCN support to NRMTraining, USAID/IUCN and World Bank contributions to Environmental Economics Training, and GEF/USAIDcontributions to Botanical Training under SABONET.

5. Other Donor Contributions to Sustainable Use Pilot Studies include USAID/IUCN support to the Southern AfricaSustainable Use Specialist Group and EU/IIED Contributions through the Evaluation Eden Project.

6. Other Donor Contributions to the Financing Mechanisms activities include those secured from various sources by ENDA towards such work and Ford Foundations contributions to such work in Mozambique.

Issues, Actions and Risks

53. The region has only recently emerged from a period characterised by significant civil strife in many countries, and the region as a whole has relatively young democracies which are being strained by economic structural reform programmes, diseases and natural disasters (particularly drought).  The regional coordination framework provided by SADC is still in a process of transforming itself from being the coordination mechanism for the “Front-Line States” against apartheid in South Africa, to being a regional framework for the promotion of true economic and political coordination and development.  While several SADC environmental initiatives have proved successful, such as previous joint SADC/IUCN initiatives addressing the region’s wetlands and community based natural resource management schemes, the aims and objectives of this programme will pose a significant challenge to the SADC system.  However, the continuous and broad based SADC participation in the development of this programme, as well as the continued calls for regional biodiversity conservation coordination by the SADC Council of Ministers, suggest a strong regional consensus does exist on the benefits of this programme and the approach prescribed.

54. The incremental support to national CBD implementation activities (e.g. information, regional expertise and lessons learned) depends on countries undertaking such CBD-related activities, on demand being secured for regional support, and on appropriate national planning to incorporate timely and relevant regional input.  Several national activities have already been initiated and several countries have expressed a demand for the regional support described in this programme.  The proposed regional activities, such as the regional biodiversity information system, regional strategy and monitoring system, and training needs assessment, will stimulate further national demand during the course of implementation.  A more difficult issue would be managing simultaneous national activity support demands from several countries.  This would strain the limited overall human and institutional capacity of the region, as well as the capacity of a relatively small programme implementing unit.  IUCN’s Biodiversity Policy Coordination Division (which has recently received funding from the Government of Switzerland to support national biodiversity plans and strategies) and the IUCN Commission structures will provide the first line of support in such an event.

55. The coordination of all the various biodiversity related initiatives and agencies operating in the region also poses a challenge.  The challenge is primarily one of ensuring that maximum complementarities and added-value are secured, rather than one of managing to avoid duplication.  Outside SADC and IUCN, there are very few other organisations with a regional mandate relevant to the CBD and biodiversity conservation.  The real challenge, therefore, lies in effective networking with the GEF Implementing Agencies and other GEF projects, with the relevant SADC sectors and regional expertise, and with the CBD Secretariat and relevant IUCN global initiatives.  Again the combined SADC / IUCN staffing of the regional secretariat is designed to address this challenge.

Monitoring and Evaluation

56. The work of the programme implementation unit (PIU) will be guided by semi-annual work plans and budgets prepared by the PIU for approval by the Technical Committee (TC).  The TC will also provide the first line of monitoring and evaluation based on semi-annual progress and assessment reports, prepared by the PIU and submitted with each semi-annual work plan.  Progress reports will be based on an agreed set of indicators of effectiveness, efficiency and impact developed by the PIU for approval by the TC within the first six months of the programme.  The indicators themselves will be periodically reviewed and updated on the basis of newly acquired information.  

57. A more comprehensive assessment of impact will be undertaken annually with the support of experts from the regional network.  Regional experts will provide more detailed analyses of the progress and impact within individual countries, and recommendations for improving country level impact.

58. During year three and following completion of the programme, a combined internal / external review team will undertake a more comprehensive review in terms of the GEF’s priorities of securing global benefits. These priorities include improved knowledge of the region’s biodiversity resources and the trends affecting them, accessibility of this information to the global community, improved national capacity to implement the CBD, improved knowledge and implementation of sustainable use strategies (particularly within trans-boundary ecosystems), and the real leveraging effects and contributions to global benefits of the programme.
Annex 1:  Logical Framework Matrix

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES	INDICATORS	MEANS OF VERIFICATION	ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS	
Wider Objective/ Goal:
To enhance the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in southern Africa.
	•	Conservation status of all important biodiversity maintained or improved 
•	Principles of sustainable use integrated into national and regional strategic plans, policies and programmes 	•	Government reports to CBD on national status of biodiversity 
•	Specialist biodiversity survey and monitoring reports
•	National and regional strategic plans and policy statements	•	Sustainable use will lead to effective biodiversity conservation
•	Levels of sustainable use can be determined and adhered to	
Immediate Objectives:
1. To improve the availability and accessibility of biodiversity information and its application in conservation planning and management
2. To achieve cross-sectoral national and regional cooperation and coordination in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
3. To enhance national and regional capacity for coordination and implementation of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use activities
4. To integrate effective policies and practices relating to the sustainable use of biodiversity into all national and regional planning and programmes 
5. To develop financing mechanisms to ensure the continuity of regional cooperation in biodiversity management.	•	Effective national and regional networks functioning to generate, exchange, disseminate and promote the use of improved biodiversity information
•	Increased collaboration between sectors and nations (e.g. joint programmes of trans-boundary ecosystem conservation)
•	Increased numbers and enhanced skill levels of southern African conservation professionals
•	Principles and practices of sustainable use incorporated into conservation and other sectoral planning and programmes
•	Enhanced implementation of the CBD in southern African states	•	Published regional biodiversity conservation strategy, action plan and monitoring system
•	Government reports to CBD on national status of biodiversity and institutional and human capacity for biodiversity conservation
•	Progress reports from regional biodiversity information system (RBIS) and regional biodiversity expertise network (RBEN)
•	Monitoring reports
•	Sectoral plans, policy statements and reports on programmes	•	Nations and sectors within the region are able and willing to collaborate
•	National and regional capacity exists or can be created to fulfil programme objectives
•	Governments wish to improve national implementation of the CBD
•	Governments, institutions and other stakeholders will endorse principles of sustainable use and put into practice  
•	Improved information and sharing of data will contribute to improved biodiversity conservation 	
Outputs:
1.	A shared regional biodiversity information system  (RBIS) and regional biodiversity expertise network (RBEN) established and functioning
2. 	A regional biodiversity conservation and sustainable use strategy, action plan and monitoring system in place and functioning
3. 	Enhanced capacity of southern African nationals to manage information and formulate, implement and monitor policy relating to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
4. 	Results of pilot activities and studies on sustainable use of biodiversity influencing the development of national and regional policies and programmes
5.  National and regional strategies and mechanisms in place to ensure sustainable long-term funding for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use activities	

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES	INDICATORS	MEANS OF VERIFICATION	ASSUMPTIONS/ RISKS	
Output 1:
A shared regional biodiversity information system (RBIS) and regional biodiversity expertise network (RBEN) established and functioning	•	Membership, functions and modes of operation agreed for RBEN and RBIS
•	Improved communication and information-sharing occurring between nations within and outside the region	•	Published membership of RBEN and modes of operation for RBIS
•	Annual progress reports from participating governments and institutions
•	Scientific publications	•	Nations, institutes and individuals wish to collaborate and share information 
•	Infrastructure and capacity exist or can be built to achieve effective communication and collaboration	
Activities: 
1.1  Establish a regional Biodiversity Expertise Network (RBEN) of national biodiversity information institutions and individual experts 
1.1.1 Appoint lead institution or other body to coordinate activities and meetings of the RBEN and agree mechanisms for allocation of other responsibilities
1.1.2 Agree systems and allocate responsibilities for control, monitoring and reporting on the Biodiversity Information System (RBIS)
1.1.3 Negotiate and agree regional standards for data sets, biodiversity classification systems, information management procedures and use of software
1.1.4 Agree protocols and methods for exchange of data sets and other communication between countries and institutions within and outside the network and the region
1.1.5 Establish mechanisms and responsibilities for dissemination of biodiversity information to end-users including planners and managers
1.1.6 Set up Specialist Groups within the RBEN to monitor and advise on activities relating to each of the operative articles of the CBD 
1.1.7 Provide expert advice to national biodiversity country studies and policy formulation
1.1.8 Carry out assessments of the regional status and trends in biodiversity conservation and support the development of a regional monitoring system 	•	Protocols, mechanisms, lead responsibility and regional standards agreed for RBIS
•	Institutions and individuals communicating and exchanging data sets and information within and outside the region
•	Membership of RBEN established and meetings held
•	Conservation planners and managers informed and advised
•	Specialist Groups created and membership and remits agreed 
•	Studies and assessments of trends in biodiversity conducted 	•	Published membership of RBEN
•	Published protocols and mechanisms for functioning of RBIS
•	Annual reports from participating governments and institutions 
•	Minutes of meetings
•	Progress and activity reports and publications from RBEN
•	Publications of collaborative (cross-sectoral and international) research and other work
•	National conservation planning and strategy documents (country studies and policy statements)
•	Published memberships of Specialist Groups and minutes of meetings
•	Status reports on biodiversity and trends
•	Scientific publications	•	Sharing and exchange of biodiversity information between nations and institutions is politically and technically feasible 
•	Sufficient expertise exists within the region
•	Conservation planners and managers will respond to advice and information from RBEN and RBIS	

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES	INDICATORS	MEANS OF VERIFICATION	ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS	
Output 2:
A regional biodiversity conservation and sustainable use strategy, action plan, and monitoring system in place and functioning	•	Strategy and action plan agreed by all participating nations
•	Monitoring system designed and agreed 	•	Published strategy and action plan
•	Published monitoring system with key indicators and institutional responsibilities agreed 	•	Governments and other national and regional institutions wish to collaborate on regional strategy and action plan (including trans-boundary issues and sites) 	
Activities: 
2.1 Formulate regional strategy and action plan and up-date on regular two-year cycle 
2.1.1 Appoint lead organisation(s)/ individual(s) to coordinate strategy and action plan 
2.1.2 Agree process and responsibilities for review, up-dating and monitoring implementation of strategy and action plan
2.1.3 Run meetings and workshops to obtain input from all national participating institutions to regional strategy and action plan
2.1.4  Catalyze and incorporate lessons learned from national country studies, strategies and action plans
2.2 Monitor implementation of regional strategy and action plan and feed results of monitoring into regular process of review and up-dating 
2.2.1 Design appropriate monitoring system
2.2.2 Obtain regular country assessment reports
2.2.3 Collate existing regional baseline data
2.2.4 Identify key indicators of sustainability (ecosystem and human well-being)
2.2.5 Feed information and recommendations  back to national institutions and country processes (studies, strategies, policies) 
2.2.6 Make recommendations to SADC for incorporation of biodiversity conservation into sectoral plans and policies 	•	Regional strategy and action plan agreed by all participating nations
•	Lead organisation appointed to coordinate strategy and action plan and cycle of review and up-dating
•	Regular meetings involving participating governments and relevant institutions
•	National and regional workshops held
•	Monitoring system and protocols agreed and responsibilities allocated
•	Regional database created incorporating baseline data for all participating nations
•	Studies and assessments of potential sustainability indicators conducted and key indicators selected
•	Recommendations formulated and submitted to SADC and national governments	•	Published regional strategy and action plan
•	Minutes of meetings
•	Workshop reports
•	Monitoring reports
•	Country assessment reports
•	Regional database reports and other outputs
•	Key indicators of sustainability published
•	Published country studies, strategies and policies
•	Published recommendations to and communications with SADC and other national and regional institutions and decision-makers	•	Institutional and human capacity exists or can be created to design and implement regional strategy, action plan and monitoring system 
•	Baseline data and country assessment reports exist for all nations in the region
•	Nations, institutions and individuals will contribute data to a regional database
•	National and regional governments and institutions will implement recommendations on biodiversity conservation 	

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES	INDICATORS	MEANS OF VERIFICATION	ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS	
Output 3:
Enhanced capacity of southern African nationals to manage information and formulate, implement and monitor policy relating to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity	•	Increased numbers and skill levels of southern African conservation professionals
•	Improved conservation programme management and biodiversity information management nationally and regionally	•	Government reports to CBD including institutional capacity development for biodiversity conservation
•	Programme progress reports	•	Staff available and willing to receive training to increase national capacity
•	Governments and institutions willing to release staff for training and guarantee future commitment and resources to trained staff 	
Activities:
3.1 Define regional training needs and strategy (relevant to national implementation of CBD)
3.1.1 Carry-out training needs assessment for biodiversity conservation professionals in the SADC region
3.1.2 Evaluate existing SADC inventory of regional training programmes
3.1.3 Agree regional training priorities
3.2 Provide technical support to existing training programmes and institutions
3.3  Communicate and promote relevant training opportunities to target groups in the region
3.4 Develop specific courses with appropriate training institutions to cover identified priorities not included in existing programmes	•	Regional training priorities and strategy agreed
•	Training needs assessment completed
•	Individuals from RBEN and Specialist Groups providing advice on regional training programmes
•	Training opportunities communicated within the region 
•	One to two new short courses designed and implemented per year of programme implementation	•	Published priorities and strategy
•	Published training needs assessment report
•	Progress reports and curricula from existing training courses and institutions
•	Consultants’ reports
•	Published lists of existing courses sent to target groups
•	New training course reports and lists of participants	•	Agreement can be reached on priorities for training across the region
•	Institutions and governments will release staff for existing and new training opportunities
•	Institutions and governments will accept and incorporate technical input from RBEN to existing courses
•	Capacity exists or can be created to staff and run new training courses
•	Target groups will respond to information disseminated on new training opportunities	

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES	INDICATORS	MEANS OF VERIFICATION	ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS	
Output 4:
Results of pilot activities and studies on sustainable use of biodiversity influencing the development of national and regional policies and programmes	•	Pilot studies completed and results published
•	Ideas and results incorporated into national and regional conservation and other programmes and policies 	•	Analysis and activity reports and publications
•	Published national and regional conservation and other sectoral  strategies and programmes
•	National and regional policy statements	•	Capacity exists within the region to carry out effective pilot activities and studies
•	Governments and regional structures willing to accept and implement analysis recommendations	
Activities:
4.1 Fund, oversee and monitor pilot field activities and analysis in the field of sustainable use of biodiversity
4.1.1 Determine selection criteria for pilot projects
4.1.2 Identify priorities for analysis and other projects, taking account of similar work conducted under other regional and national programmes
4.1.3 Establish clear analysis and reporting procedures for all grant-aided analysis and other activities 
4.2 Publish, promote and disseminate results of pilot activities and analysis from grant-aided projects
4.3 Feed lessons learned from pilot activities and analysis into national and regional planning, policy development, legislation and management for biodiversity conservation
4.4 Feed lessons learned from pilot activities and analysis into national and regional planning, policy development, legislation and management for other sectoral programmes	•	Priorities and criteria for pilot projects agreed
•	Pilot studies and activities selected, funded and implemented
•	Ideas and results disseminated 
•	Recommendations made to national and regional decision-makers based on findings and lessons learned from pilot activities	•	Published priorities and criteria for pilot project funding
•	Analysis and other activity technical reports
•	Scientific publications and popular articles
•	Published recommendations and other forms of communication with national and regional governments and other institutions 
•	Published national and regional conservation and other sectoral programme and planning documents
•	Published legal instruments and reforms 	•	Regional agreement can be reached on priorities for pilot activities and analysis
•	Sufficient proposals for pilot studies will be received, of adequate quality and meeting  the agreed criteria
•	Governments are willing and able to make legal and policy changes incorporating results of pilot studies and activities on sustainable use
•	Legal and policy changes will have beneficial effects  on biodiversity conservation	

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES	INDICATORS	MEANS OF VERIFICATION	ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS	
Output 5:
National and regional strategies and mechanisms in place to ensure the continuity of regional cooperation in biodiversity management	•	National and regional strategies developed and implemented
•	Innovative new funding mechanisms developed and operating
•	Increased funding becomes available for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use activities in the region	•	Published strategies
•	Country and regional project technical and financial reports
•	Government reports to CBD	•	Governments interested and prepared to develop and implement national and regional strategies
•	New funding mechanisms and sources of funds can be found or created	
Activities: 
5.1 Establish clear local, national and regional priorities for biodiversity conservation funding
5.1.1 Produce inventory of externally funded biodiversity projects including those relevant to implementation of the CBD
5.1.2 Evaluate and disseminate lessons learned from the funding experiences of existing projects 
5.2 Create a regional support mechanism to assist the region to obtain additional funding for biodiversity and sustainable use activities
5.2.1 Evaluate the potential, develop and pilot innovative new financing mechanisms for species- and site-specific, national and regional biodiversity conservation activities
5.2.2 Provide advice on available funds and funding mechanisms to proposed new priority projects and programmes 
5.2.3 Assist southern African states in the development of national funding strategies for biodiversity conservation 
5.2.3 Assist southern African states to obtain new and additional funding for priority regional and national activities	•	Agreement reached on local, national and regional funding priorities
•	Inventory of existing projects completed 
•	Regional support mechanism established
•	Funding assistance and advice provided to new projects and government strategies 	•	Published priorities and national and regional strategies
•	Minutes of meetings
•	Published inventory of projects
•	Published details of regional finance support mechanism (institutional base and mode of operation)
•	New project proposals and technical and financial reports from new projects	•	Agreement can be reached on local, national and regional funding priorities
•	Lessons learned from existing projects can be applied effectively to new proposals and projects
•	Governments and other implementing agencies for new projects will accept and use funding advice offered
•	Institutional base for regional funding support mechanism exists or can be created 	

Annex 2:

Priority Biodiversity Conservation Issues (Identified by the Southern Africa Biodiversity Workshop - IUCN/CIDA, 28 to 31 March, 1993, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe)

Legal Issues:

1.	Promote the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity as a matter of urgency.

2.	Review the adequacy of current national legislation with a view to strengthen provisions for biodiversity conservation.

3.	Develop legislation on local community participation in management and sustainable use of the components of biodiversity.

4.	Develop legal instruments to facilitate regional cooperation for the conservation and management of biodiversity, and for sustainable use of its components.

5.	Develop legislation on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) including impacts on biodiversity.

Socio-economic Issues:

1.	Communities must have full control over the use and management of biological resources.  They must be involved in activities to restore biodiversity and also derive financial benefits from these activities.

2.	Traditional values and knowledge systems should be recognized and incorporated into decision  making by all agencies involved in biodiversity conservation.  Such values and knowledge systems should be documented.

3.	Learning and exchange of information should be the primary focus on the management of biodiversity.  The views of churches, schools, local communities and professional institutions should be incorporated at all levels of decision making and training.

4.	The current decision making process must be investigated and reviewed, and new ways of making decisions considered.

5.	Survival depends on the maintenance and restoration of biodiversity.  Additional resources for biodiversity conservation are required and governments should consider allocating funds for biodiversity conservation from other sectors.

Human Resources and Training Issues:

1.	Improvement of technical skills in various biodiversity management activities such as taxonomy and museum technology.

2.	Dissemination of technical information on biodiversity for use both in research and education, e.g. taxonomic key lists, checklists, simple handbooks, field guides and texts.

3.	Establishment of meta-databases and directories on institutions, researchers and projects on biodiversity conservation in the SADC region.  Such meta-databases and directories should also indicate the type of data held by the various institutions.

4.	Minimize government restrictions, including those outside state bureaucracy, on information exchange and intra-regional scientific cooperation by bona fide scientists.

5.	Standardization of data gathering methodology in biodiversity inventories.

Institutional Arrangements:

1.	There should be a National Coordinating Agency on biodiversity matters in each country.  Each country's coordinating agency should consult all other agencies with information holdings relevant to biodiversity conservation and should promote collaboration among all the agencies involved in the national biodiversity programme.

2.	A Regional Forum should be formed to promote collaboration among countries with respect to biodiversity.  Such a Regional Forum  should be a SADC functionary coordinated by IUCN-ROSA.  Such a Regional Forum should also source funding for biodiversity programmes and training requirements of the regional countries.

3.	Countries which have not yet ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity should do so as a matter of urgency.

4.	Institutions dealing with systematics, taxonomy, biodiversity conservation, resource use and management are required to collaborate closely within their respective countries and at regional level.  Professional and scientific organizations should be strengthened or formed to facilitate exchange of information through conferences, symposia and workshops.

5.	Linkages with organizations outside the region should be encouraged in order to facilitate the transfer of technology, training and funding of biodiversity programmes.  Such organizations will include, inter alia, UNESCO, GEF, CEC, UNEP, UNDP, IUCN, and international NGOs.

ANNEX 3: Expected Programme Outputs

1.	Information system and expertise network

1.1	Regional biodiversity information system established with functioning linkages under agreed dataset standards, classification systems,  compatible software and management procedures within at least six countries of the region.

1.2	Functioning network of regional biodiversity expertise established with support provided to 10 country studies and/or planning processes, and further contributions provided in delivering additional outputs outlined below.

2.	Regional Strategy and monitoring for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use

2.1	Regional strategy framework prepared and regularly updated on a two year cycle, with first strategy completed in year 2-3 of the programme and a revision completed by year 4-5 incorporating lessons learned from national strategy and action plan processes as well as monitoring of the implementation and impact of the regional strategy.

2.2	Regional action plan for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity developed and adopted.

2.3	Regional biodiversity baseline information and monitoring system established with regular country assessment reports produced against specific demands in relation to both COP decisions and programme requirements.

2.4	Monitoring of SADC sectoral and National implementation of the regional action plan effected.

2.5	Recommendations developed and submitted to SADC on the incorporation of biodiversity conservation aspects into its sectoral plans and policies.

2.6	Recommendations to individual countries on regional aspects relevant to their biodiversity country studies and strategies.

3.	Training

3.1 	Regional training needs for biodiversity conservation and the implementation of the CBD prioritised, and existing training programmes relevant to these priorities identified.

3.2 	Existing training programmes in priority areas strengthened and promoted through support from the Specialist Group.

3.3 	1-2 short courses developed and run each year within regional training institutions based on training needs priorities not being addressed by other programmes, starting year 2.

3.4 	A minimum of 150 persons trained in technical and policy aspects of biodiversity conservation and use.

4.	Pilot activities and studies

4.1	Priorities and selection criteria developed by the SADC Biodiversity Secretariat in collaboration with IUCN and the expertise networks, and disseminated through the region.

4.2	A minimum of 16 pilot activities funded and completed.

4.3.	Results of activities assessed and lessons learned documented, and communicated.

4.4.	Lessons learned incorporated into national implementation of the CBD, and regional strategy management.

5.	Innovative financing mechanisms

5.1	Inventory of externally funded biodiversity projects produced and updated.

5.2	Lessons from existing projects documented and communicated to those formulating new projects

5.3	Support mechanism created to assist the region in obtaining additional funding for expansion of existing or new projects.

5.4	Regional funding priorities identified,  agreed upon and maintained.

5.5	Innovative financing mechanisms developed and piloted.

_______________

ANNEX 4:

REGIONAL BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION SYSTEM:
 DRAFT CONCEPT AND BUSINESS PLAN

Introduction

This annex outlines a business model for the management of biodiversity information in SADC countries, where there is interest, which could lead towards a network of national and sub-national biodiversity information centres (or more generally EIS centres) under the framework of a Regional Biodiversity Information System.

Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems (CBD, 1992). In other words, those studying or managing biodiversity usually refer to three forms of diversity: ecosystem, species, and genetic diversity (Canadian Biodiversity Strategy, 1995). The word “element” is used throughout this plan, and refers to a unit of biodiversity, usually a specific form of plant, animal or vegetation community.

An effective and timely information management system is required to service the needs of land use planners (e.g. environmental impact assessments, land development planning), and enable them to make environmentally sound decisions. A biodiversity information centre (BIC) model provides this service, by compiling and centralizing all available data and information on biodiversity elements in the host country, with the capacity to share data and information across a decentralized network of centres. BIC clients include government agencies, NGOs, private sector industries and businesses, academics, and the general public. Some examples of these clients and their applications include:

	Conservation Planners - by providing integrated and standardized biological and ecological land use information to district, provincial, national and SADC region decision makers,
	Development Planners - by facilitating the design and implementation of ecologically sound land development plans, both within and outside government,
	National Parks and Conservancy Planners - by providing natural areas conservation managers with reliable and current information to establish priorities and identify private land stewardship options, and
	Educators, Researchers and Biological Inventory/Monitoring Managers - by providing access to a central repository of information to assist research, inventory and monitoring, and public education programmes on biodiversity elements and values.

The Requirement for Biodiversity Information

In support of the 1992 Biodiversity Convention, southern African states convened a workshop (Malawi, 1995) to identify strategies for the conservation of biodiversity.  In developing these strategies, the states declared that they were:

	 “determined, individually and collectively, to conserve and sustainably use biological diversity for the benefit of present and future generations”,
	further, the states were, “Conscious of the inadequacy of information and knowledge regarding the biological diversity of the region, and the urgent need to strengthen both human and institutional capacity”, and
	highlighted the “importance of scientific, technical, technological and financial cooperation in order to meet the objectives of the Convention”.

Workshop participants developed a number of strategies to support their commitment to the 1992 Biodiversity Convention:

	“Country Strategies; wherein all SADC countries will ratify the Convention on Biological Diversity, and conduct biodiversity studies in support of national biodiversity conservation plans,
	Regional Biodiversity Strategies Coordination and Funding; develop a region-wide position and programme for the coordination of strategies, and to develop a funding proposal for the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) by January 30, 1996,
	Participation; to urge full participation by all countries and non-governmental organizations,
	Access to Genetic Resources, Transfer of Technology and Biodiversity; coordinate policy, legislation, technology development and transfer, and information exchange relating to biodiversity conservation,
	Communication and Information Dissemination Systems; facilitate biodiversity conservation through effective communication and information exchange and to strengthen communication infrastructure, while recognizing the importance of local communities as information sources and recipients of biodiversity information,
	Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Biodiversity Conservation; recognize the importance of NGOs’ contribution to biodiversity information and knowledge, and community development by providing an enabling work environment,
	Community Use, Management of Natural Resources and Gender Issues; empower local communities, increase their capacity to contribute to biodiversity conservation and recognize the importance of indigenous knowledge, and
	Capacity Building and Institutional Support; increase local and donor support to build capacity for scientific, technical and institutional sectors”.

Aims of the Regional Biodiversity Information System

Mission:	Facilitate the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in southern Africa by providing and facilitating access to accurate  and up-to-date information.

Goal:		To generate a permanent and dynamic data and information repository network on the character, distribution and conservation status of natural areas, flora and fauna, and ecosystems, including special and unique ecological assets in southern Africa.

The Objectives are to:

	assemble and organize information on species (with an emphasis on vulnerable, threatened and endangered species), habitats, and ecosystems from all available sources,
	make information on species, habitats, and ecosystems accessible, in support of ecologically-sound land use planning, and biodiversity conservation programmes at local, national, and regional levels,
	identify and track priority (vulnerable, threatened, and endangered) species, habitats, and ecosystems to guide biodiversity conservation activities by local and national government agencies, regional states, private sector business and industry, and non-governmental organizations,
	maintain the central repository, and the currency of biodiversity data and information in support of biodiversity conservation programmes, 
	support biodiversity research, education, and extension, and,
	promote cooperation and data-exchange amongst network of BIC’s and other partners.

Information Management Functions for Biodiversity Conservation

Why is there a need to adopt an information management approach to biodiversity conservation? Like any application, biodiversity conservation requires knowledge (based on sound data and information) to be effective, timely and relevant. However, excessive utilization of natural resources and development has far outstripped our knowledge of how species, habitats, and ecosystems are being impacted, and therefore our ability to sustain them. Consequently, biodiversity conservation managers find themselves struggling to meet the information requirements for sound land use planning.

The entire SADC region has a wealth of natural resources. As would be expected in such a rich environment, the region’s states have a wealth of biodiversity data and information. However, the form and current structure of these data render them virtually unusable and unavailable to processes that serve biodiversity conservation strategies (see Table 1). Moreover, many of the data are contained on rapidly deteriorating paper.

In developing a business plan for the conservation of biodiversity elements, an emphasis has been placed on the importance of recognizing information as a resource that requires specific policy, planning, architectural, technological, administrative, and maintenance processes, among others. Each of these processes is identified in, and driven by, an Information Strategic Plan (ISP). The ISP reflects the needs of clients, which are embedded within each of the processes, and becomes the main business driver in the planning life cycle.

The BIC's business processes will be designed to access, acquire, and integrate available biodiversity data, perform quality assurance functions and, through the addition of intellectual value, make these data available as information to service biodiversity conservation applications. Data to be captured come from many diverse sources, and occur in various forms. These include analogue and digital formats, with and without georeferencing information. The BIC’s processes to standardize, integrate, and transform data into a digital/georeferenced format prior to dissemination will be carried out through the design, development and implementation of information management functions.

The remainder of this section provides a brief overview of the functions required to serve a client’s information needs in an effective and timely manner.

Policy Development and Administration

Information policies are required for a variety of purposes and at various strata (e.g. strategic, tactical and operational), and at sub-national, national and regional levels. As a central data and information repository, individual BICs will house data sets from many sources with varied ownership; these in turn will form an information network across the region. Therefore, a number of policies are required to manage their use, including:

	intellectual property rights,
	copyright and ownership,
	data sharing and acquisition,
	information access, and freedom of information, 
	information product pricing and valuing, and,
	financial management (fund-raising, service pricing, etc.)

Policies, like information, require maintenance, update and administration processes to keep them current and effective.

Strategic Information Planning

An Information Strategic Plan (ISP) provides a vision and long term directions for the management of biodiversity conservation information. Within the life span of an ISP, there is a continuous cycle of business plan preparation, implementation, evaluation and redesign. Business plans provide the operational basis upon which the ISP is carried out. Other important components of the ISP include plans for information technology and architecture.

Development and Maintenance of Information Architecture

Information Architecture is a high level plan for the development and maintenance of data and information, applications, and technology architecture. It evolves in concert with the Business Plan, and is comprised of the following:

	Data Architecture consists of entity-relationship diagrams that model the data portion of the biodiversity information business. Provided that the business around managing biodiversity data does not change substantially (e.g., user needs, functional needs, and data structures), the data architecture remains more or less valid throughout the life of an ISP.

	Applications Architecture operates on a different level than does data architecture. It focuses on the processes related to the users’ applications of biodiversity information. If an application is altered, as is often the case, then the applications architecture must reflect these changes.

	Technology Architecture has the shortest life cycle of all three forms of information architecture. The reason being, that advances and improvements to information technology occur at a much faster rate than do changes to data entities and their relationships, or the information management processes required by biodiversity conservation applications.

Data Analysis, Design and Standardization

Data and Information Standards
BICs will adopt recognized international standards in the area of taxonomy, nomenclature, and vegetation classification. These will be used to assess the conservation status of species, habitats, and ecosystems.

In populating its central repository, a BIC will acquire data and information from many sources. Data record structure and content vary considerably depending on the source, which highlights the need for, and importance of, standards in database field structure and content. A BIC will make a valuable contribution in the areas of standards, preparation, update and maintenance, and quality assurance of data, by working directly with national and regional data source contacts. Through its use of common tools and methods, a BIC will greatly enhance the business of data acquisition, maintenance and dissemination required by biodiversity conservation decision makers.

Data Types
In its most basic form, a BIC will deal with two data types:

	Spatial Data - describes the geographic location of a feature,
	Attribute Data - describes the feature.

Data Forms
Much of the secondary biodiversity data (i.e. existing data; primary data refers to data actively being collected sources were not collected with the needs of today’s geographical information systems in mind. To satisfy the users’ applications of biodiversity information, data need to be properly georeferenced in a digital format.

The figure below illustrates the directional processes needed to transform secondary data, not yet in the required form, to a digital/georeferenced format. 

Examples of these data formats are:

Analogue/Non-Georeferenced
	a land surveyor’s field notes; an ecologist’s notes on biodiversity element attributes; aerial photographs;

Analogue/Georeferenced
	notations by a surveyor or ecologist on a hard copy topographic base map;

Digital/Non-Georeferenced
	digital aerial photographs; computerized biodiversity element attribute data;

Digital/Georeferenced
	global positioning system (GPS) data; digital topographic base maps; digital bird atlas data.

Information System Construction and Implementation

The construction and implementation of information systems involves the automation of information systems processes.

Data and Information Acquisition

Data are typically compiled by local groups, national and international government conservation organizations. In Zimbabwe, for example, the majority of these data are collected and stored by professionals, in government departments, herbaria, museums, and NGOs throughout southern Africa.

Through the use of data acquisition agreements with government agencies and non-government organizations, a BIC will receive data sets, perform quality assurance (QA), and data preparation functions, thereby enhancing applicabilitiy of the Centre's central data repository. Agreements will provide for security measures to protect the integrity of the endangered biodiversity elements and features, data access for parties to agreements of BIC data holdings, and full access to all data for BIC host government policy, programme and operations staff.

The value of these data sets, to government agencies is considerable. Collectively, they represent access to the work of hundreds of experts, thousands of hours of field study, and hundreds of thousands of data entries. Coupled with government’s own natural resource inventories, BICs over a period of several years could compile one of the most comprehensive biodiversity data sets in existence in the sub-Saharan region.

Data Inventory Maintenance and Operation

Biodiversity Element Data Catalogue: An example from Zimbabwe

Table 1.	The first approximation for a preliminary catalogue of known data sources of Zimbabwe’s biodiversity elements targeted for acquisition.

TAXA		DATA SOURCES	DATA
	DESCRIPTION	INSTITUTIONS	COMMENTS	
Vertebrata
Mammals	Specimens;
Scient. Publ.

Unpublished Records (NP)	Non digital/GR

Report cards /GR	NMZB/NHM/TM/Smithsonian Carnegie/TM

NP	Robust Taxonomy	
	Birds	Specimens
Bird Atlas
Report Cards	Non digital/GR
digital/GR
Non digital/GR	NMZB/TM/NHM/Durban 
OAZ/NHMB
OAZ/NHMB	Robust Taxonomy
Bird Atlas is achievable; needs integration with specimens	
	Reptiles	Specimens with annotated data
Scientific Publ.	Non digital/GR 	NMZB/Italian Museums/North American museums	Robust Taxonomy
Complete database from all museums: Need to visit Italian Museums	
	Amphibia	Specimens
Scientific Publ.	Non digital/GR
Non digital/GR	NMZB/Natal/TM/NHM
	Robust Taxonomy
Amphibia Zambesiaca is authorative revision	
	Fish	Specimens;
Ecology data: Fishes of Zimbabwe	Non digital/GR
Non digital/GR
	NMZB/NHM/
NP/Private	Robust taxonomy
Authorative revision of Fishes of Zimbabwe; integrating all bibliographic data	
Insecta
Odonata
	Lepidoptera
	Butterflies
	Sphingidae
	Saturnidae
	Scarabinae
	Cetioninnae
	Orthoptera
Mantidae
Isoptera
	Homoptera
	Hymenoptera
	Diptera(?)	
Specimens
Scientific Publ.
	Non digital/GR
	NMZB/TM/SAM/NHM/
Private Collections
	Focus on Lepidoptera first
and update existing knowledge on Odonata and Isoptera and manageable groups (Homoptera, Mantidae)	
Arachnida
	Scorpionida
	Solifugida
	Gnaphosidae
	Thomisidae	
Specimens - large geographical and taxonomic gaps in existing data	
Non digital/GR	
NMZB/TM/NHM	
Concentrate on manageable groups - scorpions and selected ground dwelling spiders for which adequate taxonomies exist	
Mollusca
	Terrestrial
	Bivalvia	
Very little data	
Non digital/GR	
Natal/Albany/SAM/NMZB	Should be collated along with fish data in compendium on aquatic ecosystems	
Vascular
Plants	Specimens
Species list	Non digital/GR
Non digital/Not GR		Nat Herb		
Non Vascular
Plants	Specimens;
some publications	Non digital/GR
	Nat. Herb./Kew/NBI 		
	Macrofungi	Specimens
Some literature	Non digital/GR	Nat.Herb./Kew/NHM/Tervuren	Strong motivation for national survey of Macrofungi - given vital role of mychorrhizae	
	Lichens	Specimens
Scientific Publ.	Non digital/GR	Nat.Herb./Kew/NHM	Important pollution indicators	
Ecosystems	50+ vegetation maps
Publ. of mapped regions
(eg Chirisa, Hwange, Communal Areas)	Mostly Non digital/GR with various projections
Different taxonomies	Public Domain/NP/Nat Herb	Cannot proceed without rigorous taxonomy to classify habitats: Series of planning workshops.
Initial map of 1:1 000 000 depicting ecoregions and ecodistricts.	

KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
Albany		Albany Museum, Grahamstown, South Africa
Durban		Durban Natural Science Museum, Durban, South Africa
GR			Geo-referenced
JLB Smith	JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Grahamstown, South Africa
Kew		Kew Botanical Gardens, London, UK
Natal		Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Nat.Herb.	National Herbarium, Botanical Gardens, Harare, Zimbabwe
NBI			National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
NMZB		Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
NHM		Natural History Museum, London, UK
NP			Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management, Harare, Zimbabwe
OAZ		Ornithological Association of Zimbabwe
SAM		South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa
Tervuren	Royal Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
TM			Transvaal Museum, Pretoria, South Africa. 

Database Administration

Information Management Process

Information Management Application (An EIA Example)

Information Access Administration

A BIC provides data and information to biodiversity conservation managers and land use planners. Access to data and information must be managed. Information access management requirements include:

	data and information access needs, 
	data form and structure requirements, 
	data and information ownership, 
	freedom of information,
	data security, and
	implementation, maintenance, and update of information policy.

Developing BICs

The plan to develop biodiversity information centres within SADC nations encompasses the following steps, and are anticipated to take upwards of five years to implement:

	identify biodiversity conservation needs,
	identify a lead agency, partners and cooperators to sponsor and manage the BIC,
	design the BIC (e.g. roles and responsibilities of the partners, funding requirements and sources, programme design including financial, human, technical, and information resources required by the centre),
	secure funding to resource the operational development of the BIC,
	set up, test and implement the BIC structure, and 
	evaluate/validate the BIC’s ability to service biodiversity conservation applications and programmes.

The objectives for the plan to develop BICs are, to:

	develop a BIC project “Team” to plan (i.e. this proposal),
	identify government agencies to act as the BIC custodian within the SADC countries, and determine:
•	current willingness of the countries to participate,
•	their ability to participate, and
•	their status and requirements of information management infrastructure,
	produce a provisional biodiversity data catalogue and identify data and knowledge gaps,
	identify roles and responsibilities of partners and cooperators,
	propose and negotiate institutional and operational arrangements,
	identify funding requirements, targeted donors, and pursue funding, and
	implement the plan.

Implementation of the Operational Plan

Many operational designs and approaches are available. A structure is recommended that concentrates on methods required to carry out information management functions in a single administrative unit, while identifying functions for other partners and cooperators that will promote and facilitate the replication and development of a BIC model elsewhere in southern Africa.

Table 2.	BIC Operational Functions during the Development and Implementation Phase.

Function	
Government Ministry	
SADC/IUCN	
NGO	
BIC	

Establish Information Centre	
Sponsor, Leader, Custodian	
Facilitator	
Participant	
Doer	

Data Acquisition	
Participant	
Facilitator	
Participant	
Doer	

Architecture Development	
Custodian, Participant	
nil	
Participant	
Doer	

Standards Development	
Leader, Custodian	
Sponsor	
Participant	
Facilitator, Doer	

Systems Development and Maintenance	
Leader, Custodian (IRIS)	
nil	
nil	
Participant	

Data Inventory Maintenance and Operation	
Leader, Custodian (IRIS)	
nil	
nil	
Doer	

Information Access Administration	
Leader, Facilitator	
Facilitator	
nil	
Custodian	

Policy Development	
Facilitator, Participant	
Leader	
Participant	
Participant	

Strategic Information Planning	
Leader, Participant	
Facilitator	
Participant	
Custodian	

Operational Management	
Custodian	
nil	
nil	
Doer	

Southern African Regional Steering Committee	
Participant	
Leader	
Participant	
Participant	

Zimbabwe Steering Committee	
Leader	
Participant	
Participant	
Participant (Secretariat?)	

Communications	
Custodian	
Sponsor, Participant	
Participant	
Leader, Doer	

Library	
Custodian	
Facilitator (SARDC?)	
Facilitator	
Doer	

Donor Support	
Participant	
Leader, Custodian, Facilitator	
Participant	
Participant	

Definition of Terms:

	Sponsor - promotes the process,
	Leader - strategic responsibility for activities related to, or required by, the process,
	Custodian - the owner of the process, its products or requirements, and tactical responsibility for activities related to, or required by, the process,
	Doer - operational responsibility for activities related to, or required by, the process,
	Participant - identified responsibility or role within a larger set of responsibilities for activities related to, or required by, the process, and
	Facilitator - to assist or help in the process responsibilities or roles.

A Five Year Work Plan

The primary steps involved in implementing a plan to establish, develop, and operate a BIC include:

	design information management system,
	hire and train staff in use and operation of the biodiversity database system,
	establish and populate the data base, topographic files, and manual/electronic library files,
	develop data and information acquisition, standards and coordination policies and procedures,
	test procedures and protocols to service biodiversity conservation clients’ data and information needs and requests,
	test on-line, access to the BIC’s information system for biodiversity conservation clients, and
	establish library and client services.

BIC Areas of Responsibility

Duties during the development and early operation of a BIC, include:

	data and information standards,
	data and information acquisition,
	creation and maintenance of a central data and information repository,
	expertise, and
	client services.

Data and Information Standards
As a client-oriented operation, a BIC will provide standardized, and reliable data and information to assist with the identification, planning, management, securement, and design for the protection of priority natural areas containing species, habitats, and ecosystems in need of conservation.

While each agency and organization involved with managing information resources develops standards to manage data, there are few interagency data standards within SADC state agencies, conducive to a collaborative and cooperative regional programme. These data and information standards will be adopted by the network of BICs, and in the case where new or additional standards are required, BICs will facilitate their creation.

Examples of the standards required for a BIC’s documentation and evaluation of its host country’s species, habitats, and ecosystems, include:

	the process for establishing inventory priorities,
	type and scale of data collections,
	ecological land classification (ELC),
	vegetation classification system,
	scientific nomenclature,
	data preparation and electronic file structures, and
	data and information access opportunities through printed and electronic media.

Data and Information Acquisition
An essential part of a BIC’s business will be to acquire, synthesize, and as required, facilitate standardized surveys, to capture data and information on a SADC state’s biodiversity. Much of a BIC’s early work will involve populating the electronic, GIS/topographic and library files. There are many important secondary data and information sources from government and non-government programmes (see Table 1), as well as opportunities to influence data form and structure in projects collecting primary data.

Central Data and Information Repository
A key function of a BIC is its central repository, wherein all available data and information on species, habitats, and ecosystems will be assembled in a single location. Data and information will be stored and organized in three file types:

	information management system computer files,
	topographic map and GIS files, and
	manual and electronic library files (e.g., Internet access).

Clients or users of these files will include national and regional government agencies, academic institutions, herbaria and museums, NGOs, private businesses, special interest groups, environmental consultants, and private land owners. National repositories will form a basis for the integration and exchange of data through the regional network of BICs. 

Expertise
An important role of a BIC is to provide expert advice and information on biodiversity elements, such as endangered species, habitats, and ecosystems for the purposes of private and public land use planning, professional development and the sharing of knowledge on priority natural areas, species, special and unique features, and ecosystems. BIC staff will provide this expert advice through the use of the three primary file structures. It is anticipated that a centre’s information management system will contain many related files that support these structures.  By way of illustration, the following table describes one example of a standardised set of system files which have been used with great success in the western hemisphere.  The file definitions and categories were developed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) for use by Biodiversity Information Centres (called Natural Heritage Programmes in the US, and Conservation Data Centres in Canada and Latin America) in conjunction with TNC’s Biological and Conservation Data System (TNC Science Division, 1992).

Biodiversity Information Management System Files	
Biodiversity Element Files
Contain separate files on:
 Biodiversity Element Tracking - identify specific organisms and ecological communities through standardized taxonomy,
 Biodiversity Element Ranks - standard ranks which describe the relative endangerment of elements (e.g., species) at regional and national levels, for example.
 Characterization Abstracts - summarize relevant information on species biology, ecology, behaviour, distribution, management, and references, and are compiled at national and regional levels. 	

Biodiversity Element Occurrence Files
Provide detailed information on the location, condition, management, and conservation of biodiversity elements.	
Managed Area Files
Describe areas containing biodiversity elements where there is some form of existing protection or conservation. Examples include areas where there is a conservation easement, private landowner agreement, protected wetlands, nature conservancies and national parks.	
Site Files
Although similar to Managed Area Files, these areas are not presently being conserved or protected. Instead, they have been identified for protection because of biodiversity element occurrences at the site.	
Tract Files
Track information required to manage sites, such as protected areas, and contain details on landowners, current land values, area descriptions, and options available to achieve protection status for the biodiversity element occurrences.	
Source Files
Provide a complete electronic bibliography for all available sources of information used to populate BIC information management system files.	
Contacts Files
Are similar to Source Files, except they catalogue individuals and organizations who either use or provide information to a BIC.	
Actions Files
Are used to plan, record and track biodiversity conservation activities, and are cross-referenced to many of the other electronic files listed above.	

Client Services
The primary service-oriented objective of a BIC is to provide standardized, and reliable data and information to assist its clients with the identification, planning, management, securement, and design of priority natural areas containing species, habitats, and ecosystems in need of conservation.

In Zimbabwe, for example, by making data and information available to DNR's Provincial and District Offices (among others) for their use in environmental planning and assessment, or to DNPWM for parks and protected areas planning, the BIC will be able to support many of the Government of Zimbabwe’s biodiversity conservation objectives. For example:

	State of the Environment Reporting,
	development and delivery of a National Biodiversity Strategy,
	parks management planning,
	environmental monitoring,
	species, habitat, a