From 9 to 13 October 2017, a training course was held for the Interinstitutional Focal Points (PFIs) of the Biodiversity Information Exchange Center, CHM-Burundians, on the use of the Bioland tool at the Liaison Office of the Burundian Office for Environmental Protection (OBPE), in the premises of the Liaison Office of the Burundian Office for Environmental Protection (OBPE).

 

This training is part of the project “Integrating biodiversity into national and sectoral development policies in Burundi”, more precisely in its objective 4 aimed at strengthening the Interinstitutional Focal Points of the CHM-Burundian people to disseminate sectoral information on biodiversity under the financing of the Convention on Biological Diversity/Japanese Fund.

This objective 4 seeks that the interventions carried out for the implementation of the Sectoral Plans are disseminated through the CHM-Burundians and thus contribute to the evaluation of the implementation of the National Strategy and Action Plan on Biodiversity (SNPAB). Sector Focal Points should be appointed and trained and work collectively in the evaluation and dissemination of information.

 

The activities of this training were initiated by the National Focal Point (NFP) of the CHM-Burundians, Msc Nzigidahera Benoît, welcoming the PFIs and thanking them for having responded positively to the invitation. He then presented the trainer, Mr. Han de Koeijer, Belgian Focal Point and user of Bioland. He did not fail to highlight the various interventions that the trainer carries out in the field of biodiversity through his technical and financial support.

 

Taking the floor in turn, Mr. Han de Koeijer thanked the Focal Point of CHM-Burundi and then asked the participants to introduce themselves. Three PFIs were new including the Focal Point of the Burundian Association for the Protection of Nature (ABN), the Focal Point of the Water, Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (DEPA) and the Focal Point of the General Directorate of Agriculture (DGA). After this presentation, Mr. Han de Koiejer started the training.

 

During the four days of training, the training focused on posting information on the PTK tool, training on the use of the new Bioland tool and evaluating the information that will be included in the sixth national report on biodiversity. First, the trainer gave a reminder on posting news, events, events, files, images, creating web pages and hyperlinks as well as naming the file.

In a second phase, the training focused on the use of the new Bioland tool. The trainer first gave the history of Bioland and took the opportunity to inform the PFIs that Burundi is undergoing a test on the use of Bioland. This is due to the fact that Burundi won a prize in COP12 in Cancun, Mexico. Then, the trainer introduced the new Bioland tool while explaining how to post events, files, news, and photos.

During this training, exercises were given by each lesson and were later corrected by the PFIs guided by the trainer.

Finally, the PFIs reviewed the national objectives on the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (SNPAB) to see if they are integrated into the plans and programs of their respective institutions and if the achievements have been posted on the CHM-Burundian website. The PFIs have noted that almost all the national objectives are integrated into their programmes and that the activities are constantly posted on the CHM-Burundian website.

During this training, a lot of information was posted, 40 of which were validated. Suggestions and recommendations to the designer of the new Bioland tool have been put forward.