Ghana and Malawi are stepping up efforts to improve access to biodiversity data through training aimed at centralising and managing national information on the Bioland Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) Portal.
A two-day capacity-building workshop held in Accra brought together key stakeholders from government, academia, NGOs, and research institutions working in biodiversity conservation. The workshop was organised by Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), in collaboration with the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS).
The training focused on organising Ghana’s fragmented biodiversity data into a unified national platform accessible to policymakers, researchers, and the public. The goal is to streamline data management and support national reporting obligations under frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
Mr. Han de Koeijer, Belgian Focal Point for CHM, explained that the Bioland tool—developed under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)—is designed to help countries overcome technical barriers in setting up biodiversity information systems.
“We have so much valuable biodiversity information in Ghana scattered across institutions, websites, and reports. But when it’s time for national reporting or policy planning, we often start from scratch,” he said. “The Bioland tool changes that by creating a single platform where data can be uploaded, linked to national biodiversity targets, and shared widely.”
He added that the tool enhances transparency and inter-agency collaboration, enabling users to identify who is working on what, what data exists, and where the gaps lie.
Dr. Peter Dery, Director of Environment at MESTI, noted that the Bioland platform would be crucial not only for fulfilling international reporting obligations but also for shaping domestic policies related to conservation, land use, and sustainable development.
He emphasised that building capacity across sectors to use the portal effectively would improve transparency and Ghana’s global reporting standards.
Dr. Dery also revealed that Ghana’s revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) is currently under development and expected to be finalised by September 2025.
Participants received hands-on training in uploading data, tagging content to biodiversity goals, and aligning national efforts with Ghana’s CBD commitments.
Currently, 36 countries operate CHM websites powered by Bioland, with another 24 in testing phases.
By centralising and opening access to biodiversity data, the platform is expected to support scientific research, inform policy, and increase public engagement in conservation efforts.
The Bioland tool offers practical knowledge management solutions to countries seeking to enhance their biodiversity information systems and meet global reporting standards.
GNA