This building block is to explain how I developped an App that allow fishers to contribute to marine science knowledge in Africa. 

Initially we gave fishers a pre-printed form to report opportunistic sightings they encountered. However, the form was getting lost most of the time. 

We decided to move to a digital solution. The existing App by then required internet to work and was just too complicated for fishers. So we thought we shoud develop an App that will be more userfriendly for fishers. 

We wrote the  algorithm (workflow) of the App and then contracted an Indian development company to write the code. 

Later we had to bring the development of SIREN back to Cameroon to reduce the cost of developement. 

We work with volunteer around the world that will continuously support with the development of the SIREN

Conserving ecosystems is key to curbing climate change, and maintaining ecosystem services (GBF target 11), which are closely linked to over 50% of the world’s GDP. Over 1 million species face the threat of extinction this century; however, selecting which areas to conserve is challenging with the existing data gap, which is biased towards observations in the global north. Increasing the amount of biodiversity data in the Global South is critical in the conservation of endangered species, found at high density in biodiversity hotspots in the Global South. Amphibians are ideal for acoustic identification due to their diverse vocalizations and are crucial ecosystem indicators (Estes-Zumpf et al., 2022), with over 40% of species at risk of extinction (Cañas et al., 2023). Increasing labeled data for the more than 7,000 amphibian species worldwide would enhance conservation efforts and reduce knowledge gaps in vulnerable ecosystems. By using a citizen science platform to aid in the mitigation of biodiversity loss, we help establish local environmental stewardship of these critical habitats (GBF Target 20).

Other citizen apps have shown the potential that citizen science has on mitigating biodiversity loss. eBird, the largest citizen science project related to biodiversity, has 100 million bird observations from users around the world. These observations help to "document the distribution, abundance, habitat use and bird trends through collected species list, within a simple scientific framework." (Sánchez-Clavijo et. al., 2024).  

iNaturalist, another citizen science app, that uses computer vision algorithms for species identification, has also proven successful in mitigating biodiversity loss. To date, the app has over 200,000,000 observations, with 6 million observations per month, globally. On iNaturalist, research-grade observations are shared with GBIF, which in turn uses that knowledge for policy decisions, research, and community building (GBIF, 2023). 

Currently, our app identifies 71 species of frogs and toads, worldwide. Though many of them are identified as least concern (LC) under the IUCN, we do have one IUCN endangered species, the Southern Bell Frog (Ranoidea raniformis). This lack of threatened species included, underscores the need for diverse practitioners to participate in bioacoustic ecological monitoring. Increasing data points on vulnerable species can serve to inform policy decisions using data-driven insights. Local communities and Indigenous Peoples will be a key asset in increasing the number of species included in the app, as their local knowledge allows us to track species in remote regions. 

The Biodiversity Sensitivity Map provides a spatial representation of the varying degrees of vulnerability of conservation targets to mining-related impacts. It integrates biological and ecological characteristics of species and ecosystems, along with the influence of anthropogenic pressures, to create a comprehensive sensitivity gradient—referred to as the Biodiversity Sensitivity Index.

This index ranks the entire study area into four sensitivity classes, ranging from “Extremely Sensitive Areas” to “Less Concerning Areas”, with each category representing approximately 25% of the total area. The classification follows principles of systematic conservation planning, incorporating spatial representations of both the distribution and sensitivity of each conservation target.

Certain species, habitats, or ecosystem services are more vulnerable due to intrinsic biological or ecological traits, or due to their geographic location. Moreover, the model considers landscape-level attributes—such as environmental conditions that either support or hinder biodiversity persistence—that are not directly tied to the mining threat but are critical for understanding overall ecological resilience.

Importantly, only targets that are likely to become even more vulnerable in the absence of preventive or mitigation measures were included in the mapping, ensuring that the tool supports strategic planning and prioritization for conservation in the context of mineral exploration.

A process designed to estimate the chronic impacts of mining activities on the landscape—such as habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. This analysis generates a gradient of exposure for biodiversity and speleological heritage, indicating varying levels of environmental damage severity. The mining impact exposure map provides a spatial representation of the risks to which conservation targets are subjected, allowing for a detailed assessment of biodiversity vulnerability. Identifying the areas most intensely affected by mining enables more strategic and informed planning efforts to minimize biodiversity loss.

The process involves coordination with sectoral bodies, the systematization of environmental data, and the validation of results through expert consultation. The methodologies employed are scientifically validated, widely accepted by the academic community, and designed to be replicable across different regions and landscape scales.

Ribbit's approach to data democratization represents a carefully curated process of citizen-driven scientific contribution. By leveraging existing public datasets from iNaturalist sounds and Anuraset, the application establishes a robust foundation for acoustic biodiversity monitoring. These initial datasets provide a comprehensive baseline for machine learning training, ensuring high-quality initial models for anuran identification.

The application's innovative data collection strategy goes beyond gathering information, implementing a rigorous quality control process for user-contributed data. Each citizen-submitted recording will undergo careful verification before potential contribution to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). This approach transforms passive data collection into an active, collaborative scientific process where citizens can meaningfully contribute to conservation research, addressing GBF Target 14, to "Integrate Biodiversity in Decision-Making at Every Level".

Critically, Ribbit maintains stringent data privacy and protection protocols. Recognizing the sensitive nature of ecological data, particularly regarding rare species and precise location information, the application implements strict user consent mechanisms. No user data will be shared or distributed without explicit, informed approval from the contributor, protecting both ecological subjects and citizen scientists' privacy.

The evidence is building that granting Indigenous peoples & other local communities' control over their territories improves forest protection, as they are directly invested in the survival of forests & want to ensure that future generations can continue to live & thrive in them. Yet a lot of development, environmental & climate-related programs are not created in collaboration with the people who will be impacted by them. Therefore, our solution arose from the challenges that grassroots organisations & Indigenous & local communities brought to our attention. Those communities are the ones living all the forests illegalities & land tenure violations. By directly tackling their challenge it ensures the solution to be genuine & efficient. Working with them directly helps us to better understand the contexts they are facing & adapt the tool in consequence.  

Before launching ENCOSH, a global review of existing initiatives addressing human-wildlife coexistence was conducted. This process included mapping relevant practices worldwide, analyzing their effectiveness, and identifying gaps in knowledge. A strategic plan was then developed to shape the platform's structure and objectives based on the insights gained.

The purpose was to build a strong foundation for ENCOSH by integrating proven practices and addressing identified challenges. This review ensured the platform was comprehensive and catered to global needs while promoting scalable and adaptable solutions.

In the first step of the solution GP Fish seeks to provide evidence about the role of fish in addressing malnutrition and supporting healthy diets, particularly for food insecure households. It is directed to professionals working in the field of food and nutrition security as well as rural development and investigates questions like “Does fish feed the poor, or is it too expensive?” By combining scientific insights with hands-on data from years of field experience, supplemented by practical examples, it aims to provide a broad overview of the current state in selected countries and a path forward.

Malnutrition is the most important aspect of food and nutrition insecurity and comes in many forms: undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies, often referred to as “hidden hunger”. The latter represents a major public health concern and results from inadequate intake of nutrients, such as iron, zinc, calcium, iodine, folate, and different vitamins. Strategies to combat micronutrient deficiencies include supplementation, (agronomic) biofortification, and most importantly diet diversification, which is the focus of contemporary policy discourses concerning the improvement of human nutrition. Diversifying diets by consuming animal proteins can significantly prevent micronutrient deficiencies, especially in low-income food-deficit countries, where diets are predominantly carbohydrate-based. Fish is a highly nutritious food that provides proteins, essential fatty acids, and micronutrients, as shown in Figure 1, to the point that it is sometimes referred to as a “superfood”. Due to its nutritional properties, even small quantities of fish can make important contributions to food and nutrition security. This is particularly true for small fish species that are consumed whole – including bones, heads, and guts –in regions where nutritional deficiencies and reliance on blue foods are high.

Figure 2 shows the share of recommended nutrient intake when consuming aquatic vs. terrestrial foods. Food sources are arranged from highest (top) to lowest (bottom) nutrient density. Visibly, aquatic “blue” foods like fish and mussels, are richer in nutrients compared to terrestrial sources. They are specifically good sources for Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin B12. Therefore, “blue foods” not only offer a remarkable opportunity for transforming our food systems but also contribute to tackling malnutrition.

This building block defines the criteria for selecting eligible tree planters and planting sites to ensure the success of the results-based incentive system. Participants include individual farmers and small community groups with land holdings ranging from 0.125 to 20 hectares.

Selection of planting sites is guided by established Land Use Plans (LUP), ensuring that the sites align with sustainable land management and restoration priorities. This approach helps optimize the ecological and socio-economic benefits of the plantations while reducing conflicts over land use.

The building block emphasizes proper identification of participants who meet the eligibility criteria and are committed to transforming their land into sustainable forests under the incentive system.

A comprehensive artificial breeding program was established over four years, producing 10,000 fish annually for conservation and reintroduction. Challenges included low genetic diversity and habitat-specific requirements.