Codata workshop

CODATA WORKSHOP

Data Sources for Sustainable Development in SADC

14–15 May 2007

National Research Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CODATA WORKSHOP 1

Data Sources for Sustainable Development in SADC 1

14–15 May 2007 1

National Research Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: CODATA TASK GROUP ON DATA SOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SADC iii

Day 1 1

SESSION 1: OPENING AND OBJECTIVES 2

Opening address (Dr Andrew Kaniki, Executive Director: Knowledge Management and Strategy, National Research Foundation) 2

Objectives of workshop (Prof. Steve Rossouw, Vice-President: CODATA and Chair: CODATA SANC) 3

SESSION 2: SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL DATA AND INFORMATION POLICY 6

Panellist: Dr Sospeter Muhongo (ICSU) 6

Panellist: Robyn Glaser (Department of Science and Technology) 7

Panellist: Paul Uhlir (US National Academies, CODATA USNC) 8

Panellist: Dr Xola Mati (ASSAf) 11

Panellist: Nontando Guwa (ASSAf) 13

Panellist: Dr Wieland Gevers (ASSAf) 13

Panellist: Dr Andrew Kaniki (NRF) 14

Comments on presentations 14

Panellist: Prof. Steve Rossouw (CODATA SANC) 14

Questions and discussion 15

SESSION 3: DATA SHARING AND SPECIFIC DATA ISSUES 18

Panellist: Dr Anthony Cooper (CSIR) 18

Panellists: Dr Martie van Deventer (CSIR) & Dr Heila Pienaar (University of Pretoria) 20

Comments on presentations 21

Panellist: Avinash Chuntharpursat (SAEON) 22

Comments on presentation 23

Questions and discussion 23

Day 2 26

SESSION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL AND GEOSPATIAL, HEALTH AND BIOMEDICAL, BIODIVERSITY, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA AND INFORMATION IN THE SADC REGION 27

Panellist: Dr XIAO Yun (Chinese Academy of Sciences and CODATA Chinese NC) 27

Comments on presentation 30

Panellist: Dr Lischen Haoses-Gorases (University of Namibia) 30

Comments on presentation 32

Panellist: Stanley Mukanganyama (Department of Biochemistry, University of Zimbabwe) 32

Comments on presentation 34

Panellist: Mika Odido (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO) 34

Comments on presentation 40

European Union Sixth Framework Programme (FP6): Dr Geoff Meese (CSIR) 40

Comments on presentation 43

Panellist: Raed Sharif (US National Academies of Sciences) 44

Brazil: CRIA (Centro de Referência em Informação Ambiental), INPA (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia); Colombia: Sistema de Información sobre Biodiversidad de Colombia (SIB), IavH; Peru: (Instituto de investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP) 47

New GBIF protocols added to leapfrogging, e.g. DiGIR (Distributed Generic Information Retrieval) 47

Comments on presentation 49

Discussion 49

Directory of data producers in South Africa (Henda van der Berg, NRF) 51

Comments on presentation 52

SESSION 5: ICSU-ROA AND CODATA TASK GROUPS: FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS 53

Panellist: Prof. LIU Chuang (Co-Chair, UN GAID e-SDDC Executive Committee, Leading Professor of Global Change Information and Research Center, Institute of Geography and Natural Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences) 53

Panellist: Paul Uhlir (US National Academies of Sciences) 56

SESSION 6: WORKING SESSION 57

Preparation of working document on how the recommendations are to be implemented 57

Closure: Prof. Sospeter Muhongo (ICSU Regional Office for Africa) 58

COMMENTS RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE INVITATION TO PARTICIPANTS SUBMIT COMMENTS AFTER THE WORKSHOP 59

Comment from Mr Henry Mloza-Banda, University of Malawi 59

APPENDIX: LIST OF ACRONYMS 60

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: CODATA TASK GROUP ON DATA SOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SADC

The CODATA Task Group on Data Sources for Sustainable Development in SADC Countries held its initial organising workshop in Pretoria, South Africa on 14–15 May 2007. The National Research Foundation hosted the workshop, which was attended by 31 delegates. The workshop was convened in collaboration with the ICSU Regional Office for Africa (ROA), the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, the CODATA Task Group on Preservation of and Access to Scientific and Technical Data in Developing Countries, the South African National Committee for CODATA, and the United States National Committee for CODATA.

The objectives of the workshop were to:

• 
  Consider the main recommendations from the September 2005 CODATA Workshop on Strategies for Permanent Access to Scientific Information in Southern Africa: Focus on Health and Environmental Information for Sustainable Development and discuss specific actions and initiatives that could be taken in response.
  
• 
  Designate appropriate offices/officials in the SADC countries to actively support the initiatives of the CODATA Task Group on Data Sources for Sustainable Development in SADC countries that are of regional interest.
  
• 
  Promote mutual reinforcement with the converging goals of the ICSU ROA, the SADC and NEPAD Secretariats, and other regional organisations, as appropriate, and coordinate actions in order to leverage resources.
  
• 
  Establish a work plan for the CODATA task group for 2007–2008.
  

The outcome of the workshop was the recommendation of the following set of actions for the period 2007–2008 for the CODATA Task Group on Data Sources for Sustainable Development in SADC:

WHAT	WHO	WHEN
1. Develop an inventory of scientific databases across SADC Extension of SA Data Archives(SADA) directory of data producers in South Africa With ICSU/CODATA ‘wrapper’/ front end Task group must determine sustainability strategy and data fields Link to ICSU and CODATA outreach activities	The task group would be responsible for the workplan, proposal and raising resources with the guidance of the ICSU Regional Office for Africa Funds would be needed for a full-time staff member Seed funding available from CODATA must be used to source sustainable resources Involve people with databases Key role players: Explore international and domestic sources of funding ICSU Africa SADC science desk SA Department of Science & Technology African Union Collaborator per country as part of CODATA outreach and recruitment	Proposal: end June 2007
2. Develop an inventory of scientific researchers (data professionals) across SADC	Subset of projects 1 and 3 and related to an existing ASSAf initiative – Network of African Science Academies (NASAC)
3. Develop an inventory of online training and instructional materials on data management	UN GAID e-SDDC has taken international responsibility for this initiative The task group to liaise, take material on board and see it is followed up Universities represented at the workshop are partners
4. Better understanding of IP and open access. (cf Chile initiative) Strategy by a coalition of library and research organisations	Paul Uhlir to provide background information for the task group to consider and possibly set up a meeting in Washington of potential partner organisations
5. Establish open institutional repositories: tool kits, open source software, business plans, funding for institutions Possibly link to NRF database of theses/ dissertations Link associated data on data sources and experts and possibly link with other players in a System of Systems approach Develop capacity in secondary data analysis, particularly of collated data from SADC government sources	Potential coalition partners: Task group, IAP, ASSAf, e-IFL (Electronic Information for Libraries), higher education institutions, NRF, Association of Commonwealth Universities, Association of African Universities, science councils Potential funders: Open Society Institute Shuttleworth Foundation UNESCO Partnership for Higher Education International Development Research Centre (IDRC) EU Gates Foundation
6. Malaria research and environmental data and information network (pilot initiative)	The task group to liaise with other researchers regarding proposed network, to be formed through a bottom-up initiative of interested researchers/research groups Potential funders: Gates Foundation Numerous others	SAMI to be asked to take the lead: Dr van Deventer (CSIR) and Dr Pienaar (University of Pretoria) to speak to SAMI (Prof Jane Morris)

The Task Group on Data Sources for Sustainable Development in SADC would be the lead task group for the initiative and would develop a proposal on the basis of the input received at the workshop. The task group would report on progress at the 2008 CODATA General Assembly, by which time the task group would have to be in a position to demonstrate deliverables if it wishes to continue for a further term.