Biofund

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity – BIOFUND just received from the German Government through KfW, a donation of 9 million euros for the endowment fund.

The photographic exhibition “Biodiversidade de Moçambique (Biodiversidade Daqui)” [“Biodiversity of Mozambique (Our Biodiversity)] is open to the public, from 8 to 15 December in the auditorium of the head office of the Commercial and Investment Bank (BCI).

The Commercial and Investment Bank (BCI), in partnership with the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND), on 8 December launched Mozambique’s first biodegradable debit card- the bio card.

A training session on No Net Loss, Mitigation Hierarchy and Biodiversity Offsets took place on 28 November 2017 in the Higher Hotel and Tourism Industry School of the Eduardo Mondlane University, in the framework of the biodiversity offsets implemented by BIOFUND and by the COMBO/WCS project.

BIOFUND and COMBO are undertaking a baseline study in the conservation areas of Inhambane province to assess the capacity of implementing pilot areas of “concepts of aggregate offsets”.

The Board of Directors of BIOFUND met on November 23rd at its 10th Session. Its main agenda was to present and discuss the basis for a new strategy for BIOFUND, in the context of the greater demand for financing and the consequent growth of the institution. In addition to this theme, the main activities of BIOFUND have been discussed since the last session of the Board of Directors, with emphasis to the funding of 9 Conservation Areas (covering 6 provinces) financed by the World Bank (Mozbio Project) and by AFD (projecto Abelha).

BIOFUND held for the third time, from 17 to 31 October, the exhibition and multimedia fair, under the motto "The Culture of Conservation and Sustainable Development", which once again highlighted the objectives of BIOFUND's work on awareness of civil society

In this second week dedicated to the exhibition on Biodiversity in Quelimane, we reached a total of more than 3000 visitors who had the opportunity to know more about our natural heritage exploring the exhibition with the help of guides, and increased, enriched and shared knowledge, participating in lectures and mini-courses with emphasis on the theme: Environmental Education, Coastal Erosion: Mitigation Measures.

The translocation of animals to Maputo Special Reserve (MSR) and to Zinave National Park (ZNP) has already finished with the introduction of 3.108 animals of different species, corresponding to 66% of the 4.712 planned.

The last weekend in Zambezia had a special awareness touch about the importance of biodiversity for our country, supporting joint efforts for our success in conservation of nature.

The BIOFUND exhibition and biodiversity fair, which runs from October 17 to 31, 2017 at the Teacher Education Institute of Quelimane attracts in 3 days more than 1500 visitors with special participation of primary and secondary students from various schools of the city of Quelimane.

The multimedia exhibition on biodiversity was inaugurated yesterday (17th October) in the Quelimane Teachers’ Training College, by His Excellency the Governor of the Province, Mr. Abdul Razak Noormahomed. The exhibition displays more than 80 panels of important habitats and species of our country, 9 of them specifically illustrating the biodiversity of Zambezia. This is being supported by an information exhibition with more than 12 exhibitors on activities related to biodiversity and the environment.

Three Conservation Areas, the winners of the 3rd Cycle of Project Bee (Projecto Abelha) will have part of their operational costs budget assured by The Foundation for Biodiversity Conservation for the next 3 years.

From 17 to 31 October 2017, Quelimane is hosting the multimedia exhibition on "The Culture of Conservation and Sustainable Development".

The Environmental Education Cooperative Ntumbuluku and partners present Operação Caco - Língamo, happening on September 16 (Saturday), from 07h30 to 10h30 at Língamo Salines in Matola A. This cleanup will be allusive to the celebrations of the World Day of Cleanliness of the Beaches and Rivers, and is framed in the civic movement Let's Do it.

The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity will take part in the USAID program Parceria Cívica para Boa Governação, implemented by Counterpart International.

BIOFUND organised, from 24 to 28 July, a training session on drawing up conservation projects, taking as an example the Terms of Reference for the 3rd Cycle of Project Bee.

In July, a delegation consisting of the Director of Programmes, the Director of Administration and Finance and the Technical Advisor of BIOFUND made a working visit to FUNBIO – the Brazilian Fund for Biodiversity – under the existing partnership between the two institutions

The Executive Director of BIOFUND – Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity, Luís B. Honwana, visited Brazil from 11 to 18 June, by invitation of the World Bank, in the capacity of advisor to the delegation of MITADER, for contacts with various federal bodies in the conservation sector.

In 2017, Mar Nosso (Our Sea) will be organised around World Oceans Day, celebrated on 8 June, in partnership with MIMAIP and UNESCO.

As part of the celebrations of World Oceans Day, which is celebrated on 8 June, two conferences will be held, in the Fisheries Museum, on the future of our oceans: on coral reefs (8 June), and on marine innovation in Mozambique (9 June).

In the next 2 years, the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) will spend almost 4 million USD in financing the National System of Conservation Areas. This was one of the main decisions of the 5th General Assembly of BIOFUND, held in Maputo on 24 May 2017. In addition to members of the institution, there took part in this General Assembly observers and guests including representatives of the diplomatic corps and cooperation partners.

A BIOFUND informa a alteração da data da sua 5ª Assembleia Geral assim como do evento temático sobre o Hotspot de Biodiversidade Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany, para o dia 24 de Maio de 2017, das 15h30 às 19h30, no Hotel Cardoso em Maputo. O convite formal e o programa detalhado será distribuído em breve.

A BIOFUND vai realizar a sua 5ª Assembleia Geral assim como um evento temático sobre o Hotspot de Biodiversidade Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany, no dia 25 de Maio de 2017, das 15h30 às 19h30, no Hotel Cardoso em Maputo.

BIOFUND began in 2017 to channel funds to support operational costs of the MozBio project for 8 of Mozambique’s Conservation Areas (the Quirimbas National Park, the Gilé National Reserve, the Chimanimani National Reserve, the Bazaruto National Park, the Limpopo National Park, the Banhine National Park, the Maputo Special Reserve, and the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve), with funds from the World Bank/IDA for 2017 and 2018.

BIOFUND began in 2017 a programme of professional interns with students from Mozambican universities on internships lasting for 6 months. BIOFUND is welcoming Jéssica Julaia (degree in Marine, Aquatic and Coastal Biology) and Zaina Muita (degree in Ecology and Conservation of Terrestrial Biodiversity), both graduates from the Eduardo Mondlane University, who were the winners of the 1st competition for BIOFUND internships. This group also includes Eng. Susana Ferreira Silva (Science and Technology Faculty of the New University of Lisbon) under the INOV Contacto programme

In 2017 BIOFUND renewed its website, introducing more information about its strategic objectives, its operational structure, partnerships and projects under way, among others. It also introduced complementary information about conservation projects under way in the country and links to documents of general interest about biodiversity, and the news page.