Protocol for collaboration between the National Genebank and Community Seed Banks

In recent years, national genebanks of some countries (e.g. Bhutan, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa and Uganda) have started to collaborate with community seed banks on the important task of conservation of crop (and tree) varieties. This collaboration has taken place in informal ways, in the form of participation in meetings and gatherings, seed and food fairs and through a number of joint activities, including the establishment of community seed banks and related (capacity development) activities. As far as is known, no formal agreements have been made/signed to structure, monitor and evaluate the collaboration in a more rigorous manner. Based on interactions among professionals from various countries who support community seed banks, it was decided to develop a generic collaboration protocol that could help shape the collaboration process in countries where this has not yet taken place or to solidify the process in countries where this is already happening. The protocol document includes chapters (articles) on the roles of the national genebank; the roles of community seed banks; principles of collaboration; activities that can be done together and rules and regulations for the collaboration. It benefitted from the inputs of many partners in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe and from the long community seed bank working experience of staff of Bioversity International, now the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

Briefing note: Building on farmers' perception and traditional knowledge: biodiversity management for climate change adaptation strategies

The factsheet presents some initial findings of a multi-country climate change survey carried out in Peru, Zimbabwe and Vietnam in 2012-2013 by the Asociación para la Naturaleza y el Desarrollo Sostenible (ANDES), Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT), the Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE) and Oxfam-Novib to assess perceptions of indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers on climate change. Study confirms that these actors are adapting to climate change and they do so by extending their traditional knowledge of weather predictions, biodiversity management and cropping calendars. The study highlights farmers’ seed systems as an important aspect of adaptation. It recommends the strengthening of social networks, including through biodiversity fairs, to support farmers’ exchange of seeds and knowledge, particularly amongst women. Indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers are critical actors in the collective global responses to challenges posed on food security and nutrition in the context of climate change and more efforts are needed to support their work

Additional file 4 of Mapping age- and sex-specific HIV prevalence in adults in sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2018

Additional file 4: Supplemental results.1. README. 2. Prevalence range across districts. 3. Prevalence range between sexes. 4. Prevalence range between ages. 5. Age-specific district ranges