Photo: Copyright African Forest Forum (AFF)
INTRODUCTION
Since 2011, AFF, through a grant from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), has been implementing a project titled “African forests, people and climate change” that is in its third phase. The overall objective of the project is to enhance the role of African forests in assisting people adapt to the effects of climate change in various landscapes in ways that will improve livelihoods, sustain biodiversity, and secure the quality of the environment, as well as to strengthen the capacity of Africa’s forests to adapt to climate change and to contribute to mitigation efforts. This current third phase (2018- 2022) of the project is guided by the following four specific objectives: (i) strengthening the capacity of African forestry stakeholders in adopting best practices that integrate both adaptation and mitigation options in response to the impacts of climate change and variability to biophysical and social systems in different landscapes; (ii) enhancing national forest governance by strengthening the capacity of African stakeholders to respond to the Paris Agreement and related global climate change policies and initiatives related to forestry; (iii) promoting entrepreneurship opportunities and technologically efficient means of value addition in African forestry, including those related to climate change that enhance livelihoods, national incomes and employment; and (iv) strengthen AFF’s institutional capacity in creation and sharing of relevant forest and tree-based knowledge and information for improved decision making. Through these objectives, the project is expected to contribute to six of the seven AFF’s Programmatic Areas listed above.
Another ongoing project at AFF is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and is entitled “Strengthening management and use of forest ecosystems for sustainable development in Africa”. The overall goal of this project is “to generate and share knowledge and information through partnerships in ways that provide inputs into policy and decision-making options and capacity building, for improved forest management that better addresses poverty eradication and environmental protection in Africa”.
BACKGROUND
The abovementioned projects have in the last two years implemented a number of activities undertaken by a transdisciplinary team of about 40 African experts and 20 postgraduate students yearly. This work has produced a great number of outputs in form of writings and of varying quality. These products are regularly strengthened by AFF Secretariat staff and a number of reviewers and editors to improve their quality and enhance their potential for impact, at various levels and in various fields. In the process of producing these products by the contracted experts and postgraduate students, it has become clear that the capacity for scientific writing for most of our contracted experts and postgraduate students in is still wanting. Therefore, to ensure that the continent produces knowledge products that remain continuously of high-quality standard, there is need to strengthen the capacity of AFF stakeholders on technical writing skills needed in the knowledge generation value chain i.e., from initial concept development stage up to publication of research results.
Such capacity building is in line with the AFF Programmatic Area no. 6 and directly contributing to objectives 4 and 5 of the SDC and Sida funded projects respectively, on strengthening the institutional capacity of AFF, and by extension, that of its stakeholders. In this respect, AFF is calling for expression of interest among African forestry stakeholders willing to participate in a training workshop on “Technical writing and publishing scientific papers”, to be held in Dar-es-Salaam Tanzania from 20 to 24 June 2022 for Anglophone and Lusophone African forestry stakeholders.
PURPOSE OF THE CALL
The purpose of this call is to invite African forestry stakeholders, mainly earlier carrier forestry professionals, consultants and postgraduates to express their interest to participate in the training workshop on “Technical writing and publishing scientifically sound knowledge products”. The training will be structured as a write-shop, including theory, practice and tips on technical and scientific writing and their application to participants’ circumstances. Selected participants will be required to bring a draft knowledge product to be used as case study during the training. The detailed content of the training will be shared with selected participants.
HOW TO APPLY
African forestry stakeholders interested to attend the training workshop should submit the following:
• Cover letter stating why you are interested to attend a training on technical and scientific writing as well as your publishing experience ;
• Up to date curriculum vitae.
• Proof of experience in conducting research, development projects and consultancies requiring scientific and technical reporting and communication;
• The title and outline of a draft knowledge product that could be used as case study during the training
All these should be submitted as email with attachment, indicating in the subject line: “Expression of Interest for 2022 CALL FOR EOI -TRAINING ON TECHNICAL WRITING AND PUBLISHING SCIENTIFIC PAPERS. The mail should be addressed to Professor Marie Louise Avana-Tientcheu through M.Avana@cgiar.org, Dr Djibril S. Dayamba (D.Dayamba@cgiar.org) and Dr Daud Jones Kachamba (D.Kachamba@cgiar.org), and with a copy to exec.sec@afforum.org. Applications will be considered until 27th May, 2022.
Note: Please indicate for which language group (Anglophone or Francophone) you are submitting your application.