BuildingtheCongoBasinInstitute

TomSmith&HilaryGodwinUCLA

ScrambleforAfrica1881to1914

WoodImportsbyChinaandDeforestationinCentralAfrica(2001-12)

Protected Forest

94 942 2

4 4

Hunted Forest

7

88

55

88

7

Impacts of hunting on rainforest treesGenetic neighborhoods of trees 55% smaller in hunted

forests

Kribi Deep Water Port

Kribi Port

• 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.

Africa predicted to be severely affectedby climate change

WherewillthenextgenerationofAfricanexpertstodealwiththesechallenges

comefrom?

Crisis in Higher Education

Photo courtesy of NY Times - Africa's Storied Colleges, Jammed and Crumbling

ANewApproach

CongoBasinInstitute

Permanent andInterdisciplinary

UCLA IRTC – Yaoundé, Cameroon

Congo Basin Institute

CongoBasinInstituteMission:Tofindintegrativesolutionsthatconservetheenvironmentandmeetthevitalneedsofthedevelopingworld

CBIMolecularGeneticsLaboratory

• Nucleicacidextractions;• ConventionalPCR;• Gelelectrophoresis;• -20Cand-80Cfreezerspace;• Molecularbiologytrainingopportunities.

CBIAnalyticalLaboratory

• Analysesavailable:• Gasspectrophotometry;• Chemicalanalysis:soil,waterandnutrient;

• Fertilizerelementcontent;• Foodcropmicronutrientcontent(Zinc,Iron&Carotenoid);

• Foodcontaminants(e.g.,cyanide,aflatoxins,pesticidesetc);

• Fishfeednutrientcontentandpondwaterquality.

Plant tissue culture laboratory and environmental chambers

CBIGISandRemoteSensingTrainingCentre

• 30networkedlaptopcomputers;

• ESRIArcGISpackagesinstalledonallcomputers; 1.3Minnewsoftware

• ExelisVisualInformationSolutions;

• Microsoft’sO365andDreamsparkpackages.

Conference,workshopandtrainingfacilities &researchoffices

Accomodations - CBIBastos• Availabletovisitingresearchersandstudents• 6fullyfurnishedbedroomswithtotalof13beds• 24-hoursecurityingatedcompoundinembassyarea

• Fullyequippedkitchenandlaundry• Internetavailableonsite• Assistancewithresearchpermitsandcollaborations

ConferenceCenter

CBIfacilitiesunderdevelopment

Gensler

DistanceLearningCenterDigitalDataRepositoriesTechnicalTraining&EquipmentRepairFacilityPlatform/TechnologyTestBedInnovationFacility

CBIfacilitiesunderdevelopment

Onsitelodgingfacilities

CBIfacilitiesunderdevelopment

Green Design

Network of protected areasDja Biosphere ReserveEbo ForestKorup NationalParkCampoMannNationalParkMbam Djerem NationalParkLobeke NationalParkTakamanda NationalPark,FaroNationalParkBénoué NationalParkNki NationalParkWaza NationalParkMountCameroonNationalPark

.

High Cultural Diversity

IITA Stations in Sub- Saharan

o IITABenino IITABurundio IITACameroono IITADRCongo(Bukavu)o IITADRCongo(Kinshasa)o IITAGhana (Accra)o IITAGhana (Tamale)o IITAKenyao IITAMalawio IITAMozambiqueo IITANigeria(Abuja)o IITANigeria(Ibadan - HQ)o IITANigeria(Kano)o IITATanzania (Arusha)o IITATanzania (Dares Salaam)o IITAUgandao IITAUKo IITAZambia

CBIParticipant*benefitsinclude:•Useoffacilitiesandothersupportatdiscountedrates•MembershipontheAdvisoryCouncilandonproject

specificworkinggroups•Logisticalsupportforfieldworkandassistancewith

researchandexportpermits•Accesstonetworksofresearchersfordevelopingnew

collaborativeresearchprojects•Lectureandconferencefacilitiesforworkshopsand

teaching•AcknowledgementasaparticipantonCBI

communicationsandInvitationstoevents*University,NGOorotherinstitution

CBI MembershipParticipantsareexpectedtofulfilloneormoreofthefollowing:

•ActivelypromoteanduseCBIasabaseforaspecifiedresearchorconservationproject(s)•Sponsorandorganizeatleastoneclassorworkshopperyear•Contributetheuseoflocalfacilities•EstablishandactivelymaintainandutilizeanofficeatCBIforeducation,researchorconservation-basedactivities.•AssistindevelopmentandfundraisingactivitiestobuildCBI.•Payanannualfeeof10,000USD/yeartotheCBItohelpdefrayongoingcosts.

Participantswhomeaningfullyandconsistentlycontributetothedevelopmentofinfrastructure,educationaland/orresearchcollaborations,inthefirstyearmaybeconsideredfor“FounderStatus”.