Building the Congo Basin Institute Tom Smith & Hilary Godwin UCLA
Scramble for Africa 1881 to 1914
Wood Imports by China and Deforestation in Central Africa (2001-12)
Impacts of hunting on rainforest trees Genetic neighborhoods of trees 55% smaller in hunted forests Protected Forest 7 5 5 7 88 88 Hunted Forest 94 2 2 94 4 4
Kribi Deep Water Port
Kribi Port
Africa predicted to be severely affected by climate change • 30% of plant and animal species are at risk of extinction if average rise in global temperatures exceeds 1.5 ° C • Moderate emission for IPCC 5th assessment for Central Africa, predict an increase of 3 ° C.
Where will the next generation of African experts to deal with these challenges come from?
Crisis in Higher Education Photo courtesy of NY Times - Africa's Storied Colleges, Jammed and Crumbling
A New Approach Congo Basin Institute Permanent and Interdisciplinary
UCLA IRTC – Yaoundé, Cameroon
Congo Basin Institute
Congo Basin Institute Mission: To find integrative solutions that conserve the environment and meet the vital needs of the developing world
CBI Molecular Genetics Laboratory • Nucleic acid extractions; • Conventional PCR; • Gel electrophoresis; • -20C and -80C freezer space; • Molecular biology training opportunities.
CBI Analytical Laboratory • Analyses available: • Gas spectrophotometry; • Chemical analysis: soil, water and nutrient; • Fertilizer element content; • Food crop micronutrient content (Zinc, Iron & Carotenoid); • Food contaminants (e.g., cyanide, aflatoxins, pesticides etc); • Fish feed nutrient content and pond water quality.
Plant tissue culture laboratory and environmental chambers
CBI GIS and Remote Sensing Training Centre • 30 networked laptop computers; • ESRI ArcGIS packages installed on all computers; 1.3M in new software • Exelis Visual Information Solutions; • Microsoft’s O365 and Dreamspark packages.
Conference, workshop and training facilities & research offices
Accomodations- CBI Bastos • Available to visiting researchers and students • 6 fully furnished bedrooms with total of 13 beds • 24-hour security in gated compound in embassy area • Fully equipped kitchen and laundry • Internet available onsite • Assistance with research permits and collaborations
CBI facilities under development Conference Center Gensler
CBI facilities under development Distance Learning Center Digital Data Repositories Technical Training & Equipment Repair Facility Platform / Technology Test Bed Innovation Facility
CBI facilities under development On site lodging facilities
Green Design
Network of protected areas Dja Biosphere Reserve Ebo Forest Korup National Park Campo Mann National Park Mbam Djerem National Park Lobeke National Park Takamanda National Park, Faro National Park Bénoué National Park Nki National Park Waza National Park Mount Cameroon National Park .
High Cultural Diversity
IITA Stations in Sub- Saharan o IITA Benin o IITA Burundi o IITA Cameroon o IITA DR Congo (Bukavu) o IITA DR Congo (Kinshasa) o IITA Ghana (Accra) o IITA Ghana (Tamale) o IITA Kenya o IITA Malawi o IITA Mozambique o IITA Nigeria (Abuja) o IITA Nigeria (Ibadan - HQ) o IITA Nigeria (Kano) o IITA Tanzania (Arusha) o IITA Tanzania (Dar es Salaam) o IITA Uganda o IITA UK o IITA Zambia
CBI Participant* benefits include: • Use of facilities and other support at discounted rates • Membership on the Advisory Council and on project specific working groups • Logistical support for fieldwork and assistance with research and export permits • Access to networks of researchers for developing new collaborative research projects • Lecture and conference facilities for workshops and teaching • Acknowledgement as a participant on CBI communications and Invitations to events * University, NGO or other institution
CBI Membership Participants are expected to fulfill one or more of the following: • Actively promote and use CBI as a base for a specified research or conservation project(s) • Sponsor and organize at least one class or workshop per year • Contribute the use of local facilities • Establish and actively maintain and utilize an office at CBI for education, research or conservation-based activities. • Assist in development and fundraising activities to build CBI. • Pay an annual fee of 10,000 USD/year to the CBI to help defray ongoing costs. Participants who meaningfully and consistently contribute to the development of infrastructure, educational and/or research collaborations, in the first year may be considered for “ Founder Status ”.
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