Six Capacity Building Grants awarded
27 May 2003
In 2002 WOTRO initiated a new programme providing small grants for capacity building. The objective of this programme is to provide additional facilities for translating research from science to society. The programme covers three types of grant:In April 2003 the WOTRO board awarded the following projects:
Dissemination Grant for: production and dissemination of four volumes of the reprint series “The Quaternary of Columbia/El Cuaternario de Colombia”.
Applicant(s): Prof.dr. H. Hooghiemstra (UvA)
“The Quaternary of Colombia/El Cuaternario de Colombia” is a reprint series disseminated since 1973 by the research group Palynology and Paleo/Actuo-ecology of the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics. The strategy is to buy of every significant paper 100 extra reprints from the publisher and to bind these papers into volumes. Volumes are distributed free of charge among universities, institutes, schools, governmental organisations, NGO’s and libraries in Colombia. The aim of distributing these volumes is to achieve better implementation of the results of PhD studies in local educational and scientific programmes, local development policy and in national governmental policies. The dissemination grant is awarded for the binding, transportation and distribution of 100 copies of volume 27, 28, 29 and 30.
Partnership Grant for: establishment of partnership regarding implementation of evidence-based sexual health promotion programs in Tanzania.
Applicant(s): Dr. H.P. Schaalma (Univ. Maastricht)
HIV/AIDS is a threat to the economic, social and political stability of many Sub-Saharan nations, including Tanzania, and affects people in their productive years. A partnership grant is awarded for the initiation of a collaboration of scientists of Maastricht University, KCMC/Tumani University in Moshi, CEDHA in Arusha and Muhimbili University in Dar es Salaam. All have extensive experience in the development of school-based HIV-prevention. The partnership aims at expanding scientific insight in the adoption and implementation of school-based HIV-prevention programmes in developing sites. This partnership will contribute to the theoretical understanding of the adoption and implementation processes, as well as to the design of theory- and evidence-based adoption and implementation strategies.
Dissemination Grant for: workshop “Fish and fisheries of Lake Tana: Management and conservation” and posters “Fishes of Lake Tana”.
Applicant(s): M. de Graaf (WUR)
Lake Tana is the largest freshwater in Ethiopia, accounting for 50% of the total inland waters. It harbours a diverse fish fauna. The decline of the unique Barbus stocks in the 1990s proves the urgent need for effective management of fisheries, to ensure the sustainability of the fish resources, the well being of the local communities, which depend on it, and to conserve the biodiversity safeguarding a resilient and productive ecosystem. At present, policy makers have hardly access to research results and data that provide a solid base for management decisions. A dissemination grant is awarded for the organisation of a workshop to make research results available to the general Ethiopian public, civil servants, researchers and policy makers.
Dissemination Grant for: publication and translation of book “Fish and fisheries of Lake Tana: Management and conservation”.
Applicant(s): E. Dejen (WUR)
Ethiopian and Dutch researchers have studied the biology of Lake Tana’s fish stocks in–depth since 1990. Results of these studies are published in international journals, however in English, which is most often not understood by the target groups. Based on this research and on the outcome of a Round Table discussion on development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of fisheries management in Lake Tana, a book is being written that effectively summarises data and methods as a basis for measuring and monitoring conditions of the resources and its environmental conditions, for use in the Lake Tana area, but also in other Ethiopian big lakes. A dissemination grant is awarded for the publication and translation of this book into the local language Amharic.
Dissemination Grant for: preventing occupational and environmental health hazards in small-scale industries in Tanzania.
Applicant(s): L.M.B. Rongo (Inst. of Public Health, Tanzania)
Small Scale Industry (SSI) enterprises are playing a major role in poverty reduction by providing employment to the unprivileged Tanzanians, especially women. Research on occupational and environmental health hazards resulting from SSI in urban areas revealed that workers are exposed to a variety of hazards, some of which, if not detected early, can cause irreversible health effects. Non-use and lack of protective devices is common among the workers and only 5% of them are aware of occupational hazards and safety. A dissemination grant is awarded for the conduction of workshops and the publication of a simple booklet in Kiswahili on health hazards to raise awareness among the SSI workers and show them how they can protect themselves.
Dissemination Grant for: conference presentation and policy document 'perspectives on policy for scaling-up achievements in organic agriculture and food security in Cuba'.
Applicant(s): J.E. Wright (WUR)
Based on the first scientific analysis of the system-wide change in the agricultural production and food sector in Cuba since the collapse of the Socialist bloc in Eastern Europe, a policy document is published. During the past ten years such studies have not been undertaken within Cuba and the views of stakeholders have not been collected, analysed or synthesised. At the same time, international commentary on the Cuban situation has been based largely on anecdotal evidence and speculation. The dissemination grant is awarded for the promotion of this policy document in Cuba and thus injecting into the Cuban scientific debate an international development persepective which may help to guide rural development and food security policy and catalyse the internal debate on options and alternatives for Cuban agriculture.
Applications for a capacity building grant can be made three times a year, the deadline being 1 March, 1 August and 1 November. Click here for more detailed criteria for application and funding.
