Divisions:
KFD
NRF and DST developed and supported the South African Biosystematics Initiative (SABI) to enhance research in biosystematics and strengthen the research community in this discipline. SABI addresses important issues relevant to South Africa's rich biological heritage. Biodiversity and biosystematics research are very valuable to addressing both the Bio economy and the Global Change Grand Challenges, and cuts across several priority themes of the global change research plan.
The research focus of SABI in its initial conceptualisation had a strategic bias for promoting research capacity development in the area of taxonomy with emphasis on museums. This special focus is now phasing out with the last call for projects made in 2011 and funding committed for 2012 – 2014. In its place a new and more inclusive programme: “Fundamental Biodiversity Information (FBI)” programme is currently being finalised for implementation effective from 2013/14.
FBI is intended to be an integrated programme linking SABI to the national components of three other interrelated global programmes (Biodiversity Information Facility, Barcode of Life and Encyclopaedia of Life) without compromising the identity and recognition of the individual programmes at the national scale.
For more information please contact Dr Achuo Enow (Programme Director for Global Change) at a.enow@nrf.ac.za