Announcement of Opportunity - Ecosystem Services for Poverty
Alleviation: Strengthening research capacity in developing
countries
This call provides an opportunity to build equitable and
sustainable networks and partnerships between individuals and
organisations in Southern and Northern locations in anticipation of
a five year research programme into the sustainable management of
ecosystem services to provide poverty alleviation outcomes. The
research programme will be globally owned through developing the
research agenda and undertaking the work in collaboration with
institutions and individuals in the regions in the scope of the
programme.
For details go to http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/espa/events/ao3.asp
Closing date for Outline Proposals: rolling assessment until 30
May 2008.
Closing date for Full Proposals: rolling assessment until 31
July 2008.
The specific objectives of this call are:
- To strengthen capacity to formulate research agendas, design
and write successful proposals, manage research projects on the
interdisciplinary challenges of sustainable ecosystem management,
relevant to national priorities, and use the outputs;
- To develop the tools, datasets and networks needed to improve
capacity to assess ecosystem services and their impacts on
well-being; and,
- To create a demand for research and improved awareness of
ecosystem issues in the wider community in the regions
concerned.
Scope
The scientific scope of the call is limited to issues
surrounding the understanding of and our ability to respond to the
challenges to the full set of ecosystem services (including
supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural services, as
defined in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment) and their impact on
human well-being (and vice versa). These issues should be
considered in an interdisciplinary way, bringing together aspects
of the natural and social sciences.
Proposals should be for projects to develop approaches, methods
and tools that will improve capacity to assess the links between
ecosystem services and well-being (e.g. improved methods of
valuation, GIS tools for mapping ecosystem services and aspects of
poverty), and MUST also contain an element of learning or capacity
building, for example, in agenda formation, partnership
configuration, improved understanding of bidding processes or
research management skills.
At this stage the three partner organisations are developing the
concept of the programme. Final approval of the programme by DFID
Ministers is pending. Financial support for the launch of the full
programme is dependent upon DFID Ministerial approval.