Inaccessible data and a lack of biodiversity informatics capacity are impeding conservation efforts in Malawi. Old or incomplete species assessments, offline collections of data, a shortage of long-term datasets, and a lack of local skills pose major barriers to conservation and sustainable development. Biodiversity knowledge is also needed for Malawi to report progress regarding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM) to assess Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA).

Fortunately, multiple initiatives to build knowledge and mobilize biodiversity data in Malawi have been successful or are currently underway. JRS has invested in several of these projects, including an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Freshwater Red List Assessment, the formation of the Malawi Biodiversity Information Management Forum (BIMF), and efforts by Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) to develop a biodiversity data portal for Malawi. Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) now joins these efforts with a project that focuses on training to increase national biodiversity informatics capacity and establishes a Biodiversity Informatics MSc program.

Development of the Biodiversity Informatics MSc program at MUST will help grow the field of biodiversity informatics in Malawi and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, build awareness and capacity at MUST and other local institutions, and contribute to data mobilization efforts. Stakeholder and partner consultations and meetings will guide the development of program content and modules with program approval from MUST Senate and the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) in Malawi secured by the end of the first year. Students will be accepted into the program at the start of year two and year three. A project management team and an international advisory team will be established and meet regularly to guide and plan the program.

1. An online database with a list of available datasets needing mobilization.
2. Research, internships, and partial tuition scholarships for 16 Malawian MSc students and four regional students (Tanzania and Zambia).
3. Submitted student theses and student data published on local portals.
4. At least four scientific publications.
5. Program personnel, including international and national lecturers, a project coordinator, a project assistant, and five part-time project team members.
6. Field and laboratory equipment.
7. Local and international travel.
8. Communications and outreach materials.

This project will ensure the incorporation of biodiversity informatics in postgraduate courses based on capacity gaps within the SADC region. The number of program applicants are expected to grow, with at least 60% of graduating students finding employment in internship or permanent job positions. The program will promote collaborative training and mentorship across the region, as well as community-based research among students to aid in capacity building at the grassroots level in their respective countries. The partnerships developed will lay a foundation for future collaboration with both government and non-governmental organizations and advance the collective effort to mobilize biodiversity data and grow biodiversity informatics in Malawi.

Dr. Tiwonge Ivy Mzumara-Gawa is an ornithologist and conservation Biologist currently working as lecturer in Ecology in the Biological Sciences Department at MUST. Her key interests are in how species studies can help to inform conservation of ecosystems. She holds a PhD in Ecological Sciences from the University of KwaZulu Natal and has over 10 years of conservation and ecological science research in Malawi and its surrounding countries. She is part of the Malawi team that has pioneered the field of Biodiversity Informatics in Malawi through the Africa Biodiversity Challenge project, ensuring that biodiversity data is easily available for policy and decision making.