The Government of Mexico help in Managing Biodiversity Information

From April 8 - 13, 2013 the Environmental Policy and Planning Division (EPPD) of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) undertook a technical mission to Mexico. This mission was facilitated by the Government of Mexico through its Program for International Cooperation for Development. 

Dr. David Persaud (Environmental Manager) and Dr. Floyd Homer (Biodiversity Specialist) participated in the 5 day visit to the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) in Mexico City. They received an orientation on the work of CONABIO and their information system for managing biodiversity called BIOTICA.

The Biodiversity Information Management System allows for data capture and handling of curatorial, nomenclatural, geographical, and ecological bibliographic as well as custom report generation and validation and can also display the information through GIS (Geographic Information System).

Front row: L-R: Dr. Homer and Dr. Persaud listening to the orientation lecture given by Dr. Jose Sarukhan, National Coordinator, CONABIO

The MEWR is desirous of setting a National Biodiversity Information System (NBIS) and will receive technical assistance from CONABIO. A technical team from CONABIO will visit Trinidad and Tobago later this year to provide further guidance on the establishment of the NBIS.