Consortium for Barcode of Life (CBOL) Eastern Africa Conference,

Nairobi, Kenya, 18-19 October 2006

EAFRINET LOOP as a CBOL Partner in the Eastern Africa Region

Wanja KinuthiaEAFRINET Co-ordinator,

National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 40658- 00100Nairobi, Kenya

eafrinet@africaonline.co.ke

Introduction EAFRINET LOOP is the eastern Africa

arm of the Global Network for Taxonomy, BioNET-INTERNATIONAL

Members include individuals and institutions interested in taxonomy and it application.

Countries: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar (Burundi, Rwanda & DRC)

National Coordinating Institutions

Eritrea: University of Asmara Ethiopia : Institute of Biodiversity

Conservation & Research Kenya: National Museums of Kenya Uganda: Makerere University Tanzania: Tropical Pesticides Research

Institute Zanzibar:Ministry of Agriculture

Activities Information dissemination and communication

Networking taxonomic experts with end-users

Taxonomic capacity building in the region

Development of taxonomic tools

Partner:

a) S-S to pool existing taxonomic resources

b) North-South for technology and skills transfer

Activities cont’Utilise taxonomic research in :-

a) biodiversity conservation

b) Agriculture especially proper

identification of pests, diseases and

bio-control agents for food security

c) Linking taxonomists with donors

Opportunities for partnering with CBOL

Networking with BioNET LOOPS and its partners, API, BOZONET etc

A ready pool of human and Institutions Platform for raising awareness on DNA

barcoding activities, information dissemination

Linking individuals & institutions to enhance capacity building

Some of the achievements API: 1st bee taxonomic course in 2003

at NMK/ICIPE BIOTA: 2nd bee taxonomic course in

2006 South-S in-house taxonomic training North-S in-house taxonomic training Parataxomic training at grass-root level Identification of training opportunities &

linking end-users to taxonomic experts

Main Institutions

NMK-IPR:Collections & Animal diseases UoN, KARI MUIENR- Uganda ICIPE ILRI International Collaborators KIST- Rwanda Who else? Your input

Acknowledgement NMK Management BioNET-INTERNATIONAL SAFRINET, WAFRINET & EURONET National LOOP Coordinators National partner institutions and

individuals CBOL

Thank You!