This paper presents a framework for improving access to agroforestry research through a FAIR knowledge graph integrated with a conversational agent. The proposed system aggregates metadata and research outputs from institutional repositories of CIFOR and World Agroforestry (ICRAF), transforming scientific information into semantically enriched and machine-readable knowledge structures. The framework combines knowledge graph technologies, AGROVOC-based semantic annotation, large language models, and graph retrieval-augmented generation to support natural language querying and query-focused summarization. By linking diverse research resources and enabling intuitive access through a conversational interface, the approach aims to enhance the discoverability, accessibility, and reuse of agroforestry knowledge, particularly for researchers and stakeholders in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The system contributes to advancing FAIR data principles and supports more effective exploration of scientific evidence in agriculture and agroforestry research.
Tag: data management
A global biodiversity use data infrastructure acknowledging indigenous and local knowledge
Many global biodiversity datasets overlook or misrepresent the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities, and Afro-Descendants (IPLCAD). We propose minimum data and metadata standards for a global data infrastructure on biodiversity knowledge and use, co-designed with IPLCAD, including information on language, community attribution and consent, to ensure data traceability and ethical use. This initiative integrates ancestral and academic sciences to advance inclusive biodiversity governance, addressing historical inequities for global sustainability.
Capacity Needs and Technical Barriers to Achieving Our Global Restoration Ambitions (Target 2): Insights from five pilot countries Burkina Faso, Kenya, Peru, Viet Nam and Brazil, and global-level reflection meetings
To successfully implement Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) and achieve restoration at scale, it is essential to address key knowledge and capacity gaps, as well as technical barriers. Insights from five national dialogues held in Brazil, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Peru, and Viet Nam, along with reflections from two capacity assessments, one from the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Best Practices Task Force and one from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Subsidiary Body Early Actions Support.
Information System For Sustainable Land Development
Information System for Sustainable Land Development(INSTANT) is a framework to empower local stakeholders in managing,processing, and visualizing spatial and non-spatial data of land resources insupport of sustainable development planning. INSTANT is equipped with aweb-based tools which enable a fast, easy and informative data and informationmanagement by local stakeholders to provide accurate, valid, transparent andupdated data and information regarding land, land use and land resources.
Creating a National Biodiversity Database in Gabon and the Challenges of Mobilizing Natural History Data for Francophone Countries
Language is a major barrier for researchers wanting to digitize and publish collection data in Africa. Despite being the fifth most spoken language on Earth and the second most common in Africa, resources in French about digitization, data management, and publishing are lacking. Furthermore, French-speaking regions of Africa (primarily Central/West Africa and Madagascar) host some of the highest biodiversity on the continent and therefore are of great importance to scientists and decision-makers. Without having representation in online portals like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio), these important collections are effectively invisible. Producing relevant/applicable resources about digitization in French will help shine a light on these valuable natural history records and allow the data-holders in Africa to retain the autonomy of their collections. Awarded a GBIF-BID (Biodiversity Information for Development) grant in 2021, an international, multilingual network of partners has undertaken the important task of digitizing and mobilizing Gabon’s vertebrate collections. There are an estimated 13,500 vertebrate specimens housed in five institutions in different parts of Gabon. To date, the group has mobilized >4,600 vertebrate records to our recently launched Gabon Biodiversity Portal (https://gabonbiota.org/). The portal also hosts French guides for using Symbiota-based portals to manage, georeference, and publish natural history databases. These resources can provide much-needed guidance for other Francophone countries—in Africa and beyond—working to maximize the accessibility and value of their biodiversity collections.
Standards of practice to guide ecosystem restoration: A contribution to the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030
The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030 (hereafter “UN Decade”) aims to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation and recover biodiversity, and ecosystem integrity; enhance human health and well-being, including sustainable delivery of ecosystem goods and services; and mitigate climate change. To create a shared vision of ecosystem restoration, UN Decade partners, through a consultative process, launched ten principles for achieving the highest level of recovery possible through restoration projects. To facilitate application of these principles and thereby maximize restoration outcomes for nature and people, the Standards of practice to guide ecosystem restoration provide key recommendations for all phases of restoration projects. These recommendations are applicable to the broad array of restorative activities included as ecosystem restoration under the UN Decade, across all types of ecosystems (urban, production, cultural, semi-natural and natural) and restoration projects, from voluntary community member-led efforts to highly resourced, nationally funded projects.