African Great Lakes Information Platform: advancing knowledge, information, and partnerships

Session: Interacting Threats on the African Great Lakes

Theodore Lawrence, African Center for Aquatic Research and Education, [email protected]
Jessica Ives, University of Windsor, [email protected]

Abstract

The 2017 The Nature Conservancy-led African Great Lakes Conference: Conservation and Development in a Changing Climate was held in Entebbe, Uganda. The main objective of the conference was to ensure that efforts to sustainably manage the African Great Lakes are properly coordinated.

As a part of this resolution, TNC developed the web-based African Great Lakes Information Platform (AGLI) as a preeminent comprehensive system for gathering and providing information relevant to conservation and sustainable development efforts across the AGL region.

The platform comprises different modules to communicate data, knowledge, maps, tools, and projects information across the African Great Lakes region. The long-term sustainability of the platform is envisaged through embedment in the University of Nairobi’s ICT infrastructure and support system, with content development and update being undertaken by researchers and students working on projects related to the lakes, and overseen by designated personnel from the University of Nairobi and the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education.

Here we present AGLI for consideration by the larger freshwater community as a mechanism to advance research on the African Great Lakes as well as assist researchers globally in coming together as a community of experts to address freshwater problems.