The programme supported five research teams working in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific through a structured combination of funding, tailored mentoring, and ongoing technical support. Each team received guidance from scientific and policy mentors, participated in cross-team and cross-country exchanges, and contributed to joint learning activities coordinated by GDN.
Throughout the programme, GDN facilitated regular check-ins, capacity-building sessions, and collaborative spaces to strengthen methodological quality, improve communication strategies, and support multi, inter, and trans disciplinary research.
What Came Out of It?
The programme delivered a diverse set of tangible and lasting outputs. These include peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, case studies, methodological reports, conference presentations, multimedia products, and two cross-country scientific collaborations that resulted in a joint manuscript. Several teams advanced national policy discussions, for example, Fiji’s collaboration with the Ministry of Environment on the revised EIA Guidelines, and Ghana’s integration of wetland knowledge for Ramsar management.
Beyond publications, the programme strengthened research networks across continents, amplified the visibility of emerging scholars, and generated practical insights on biodiversity management that partners continue to use beyond the grant’s lifetime. The legacy of the Awards is not only the evidence produced but also the strengthened capacity of researchers and the foundations laid for continued collaboration and impact in the coming years.
INDIVIDUAL GRANTS
Principal Investigator: Lavenie Tawake
Affiliation: University of the South Pacific
Country: Fiji
Project: How to Mainstream Biodiversity and Sustainable Development into the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) System of Fiji?
Outputs:
Under Revision -
1. Title: Strengthening the integration of Biodiversity and Sustainable Development aspects into the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) processes and guidelines in Fiji: Perspectives from EIA Consultants & Biodiversity Experts Journal: Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences
Principal Investigator: Malalatiana Razafindrakoto
Affiliation: FADES C/O LABORATOIRE DES RADIOISOTOPES
Country: Madagascar
Project: Mainstreaming Soil Biodiversity as a Nature-based Solution to Innovate Fish Farming System: Valorization of Native Species of Earthworms (Earth4Fish).
Outputs:
Under Revision -
1. Title: Leveraging vermicompost and earthworms for valorization of soil biodiversity and aquaculture enhancement in Madagascar: a nature-based solution.
Principal Investigator: Margaret Fafa Akwetey
Affiliation: University of Cape Coast
Country: Ghana
Project: Assessment of Ecosystem-Based Livelihoods on Biodiversity of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS) in Ghana
Outputs:
Published -
1. Title: Perspectives on Drivers of Biodiversity and Environmental Changes in the Keta Lagoon Ramsar Site of Ghana. DOI: 10.3390/su16020666. Journal: Sustainability, published by Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
2. Title: Restoring West Africa’s wetlands to secure biodiversity and livelihoods. GlobalDev article published on July 23rd, 2025
Published Theses -
1 Title: Assessing the sustainability of wetland-based livelihoods in the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS) of Volta Region in Ghana [University of Cape Coast]. https://ir.ucc.edu.gh/xmlui/handle/123456789/11795?show=full
2. Title: Assessment of benthic macroinvertebrates diversity within the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site [University of Cape Coast]. https://ir.ucc.edu.gh/xmlui/handle/123456789/11779
Under Revision -
Title: Assessment of the factors that influence the choice of wetland-based livelihoods in the Keta Lagoon Ramsar Site (KLCRS) of south-eastern Ghana. Journal: Discover Sustainability
Dataset Submission -
Title: Mapping of Flora within the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS), Ghana. Submitted to https://rocdatahub.ucc.edu.gh/
Under preparation -
Title: Integrated assessment of the fish, avifauna and vegetation of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site, Ghana. (Status: under analysis)
Other links -
1. Project portal: https://ccm.ucc.edu.gh/project/keta-lagoon-complex-ramsar-site-klcrs-biodiversity-and-livelihood-project
2. Anlo-Keta Community Engagement on Research Findings from the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS): https://www.malnetproject.com/anlo-keta-community-engagement-research-findings-keta-lagoon-complex-ramsar-site-klcrs
3. Community Engagement on Protecting Biodiversity in Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site: https://acecor.ucc.edu.gh/community-engagement-protecting-biodiversity-keta-lagoon-complex-ramsar-site
4. CCM and NDPC organize 3-day workshop on KLCRS Biodiversity and Livelihood: https://acecor.ucc.edu.gh/media-centre/event/ccm-and-ndpc-organize-3-day-workshop-klcrs-biodiversity-and-livelihood
Principal Investigator: Nam Hoang Vu
Affiliation: Foreign Trade University
Country: Vietnam
Project: Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Vegetable Farming in Vietnam through Promoting Adoption of Low Chemical Pesticide Practices: A Discrete Choice Experiment Approach
Outputs:
Published:
1. Title: Inquiries into Farmers’ Perception of Biodiversity in Vietnam: A Systematic Analysis. Journal: Forum for Social Economics. DOI: 10.1080/07360932.2023.2288793. Published: 11 Dec 2023
2. Title: Effects of gender and agricultural cooperatives on biodiversity conservation farming practices: evidence from an emerging economy. Journal: Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, Reviewed: 12 Jul 2024.
In Progress:
1. Title: Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Vegetable Farming in Vietnam through Promoting Adoption of Low Chemical Pesticide Practices: A Discrete Choice Experiment Approach. (Status: Under Analysis)
Principal Investigator: Tsyon Asfaw
Affiliation: University of Antwerp
Country: Ethiopia
Project: Conservation of Large Carnivores in the Omo Valley
Outputs:
Published:
1. Title: First record of White-eared Kob (Kobus kob leucotis) in Omo National Park, Ethiopia (Artiodactyla, Bovidae) DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.10.e94114. Journal: Biodiversity Data Journal. Published: 13 Dec 2022
2. Title: Field Notes on the Occurrence of Mammals in the Omo Valley, Southwest Ethiopia (Field-notes-on-the-occurrence-of-mammals-in-the-Omo -Valley-southwest-Ethiopia.-1.pdf (wildcru.org))
3. Title: Tama Field Report (Tama-field-report.pdf (wildcru.org). (2 and 3 published on Oxford University, WildCRU’s website. Produced at the request of the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority to submit to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia).
Under Revision:
1. Title: Large carnivore occupancy in relation to anthropogenic and environmental variables in the Omo Valley, Southwest Ethiopia. Journal: Ecological Solutions and Evidence.
In Progress:
1. Title: Navigating Livestock Depredation and Retaliatory Killings and Exploring the Impact of Different Protected Area Management Strategies on Large Carnivores Conservation (Status: Nearing completion of the first draft).
2. Title: Unveiling Mammalian Diversity in the Omo Valley: A Comparative Analysis of Abundance, Richness, and Conservation Potential Across Four Protected Areas (Status: under analysis).
3. Title: Evaluating habitat suitability and connectivity for the movement and conservation of large carnivores in Western Ethiopia (Status: under analysis).
COLLABORATIVE GRANTS
Principal Investigators: Lavenie Tawake, Margaret Fafa Akwetey
Countries: Fiji / Ghana
Project: Assessing The Role Of Different Types Of Knowledge For Mainstreaming Biodiversity
Conservation In Ramsar Sites In Fiji And Ghana
Output:
Manuscript submitted:
Title: Mainstreaming Biodiversity Knowledge in Fiji and Ghana Ramsar Sites
Journal: Wetlands Ecology and Management
Date submitted: November 3, 2025
Principal Investigators: Malalatiana Razafindrakoto, Nam Hoang Vu
Countries: Madagascar / Vietnam
Project: Agroecology for Biodiversity Conservation and Welfare in Africa and Asia: A Comparative RCTs Study on Indigenous Earthworms Utilization
Output:
Under Revision:
Title: Applying Vermicompost for Vegetable Cultivation: An Experimental Case Study from an Emerging Economy.
Journal: Scientia Horticulturae
Received: 27 Jul 2024
