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Biodiversity Informatics for Social Good

Biodiversity Informatics for Social Good

Bridging Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture with Informatics

01/ Our Work

An Informatics Lens Into The Natural World

Strand Life Sciences pioneers innovative platforms for biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture. Through publicly funded projects and a commitment to open-source technology, we develop collaborative, participatory tools and databases that empower global communities to protect nature and promote sustainable practices. 

Since 2008, Strand’s biodiversity informatics team has built open-source platforms to aggregate, curate, and share biodiversity data. Using our robust Biodiv codebase, we create interactive web applications that support researchers, conservationists, and citizen scientists worldwide.

02/ Our Portals

Biodiversity Portals in India and Around the World

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01

India Biodiversity Portal (IBP): A Flagship Initiative

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The India Biodiversity Portal (IBP) was launched in 2008

The India Biodiversity Portal (IBP) is Strand’s cornerstone contribution to biodiversity conservation in India. Endorsed by the National Knowledge Commission and supported by partner institutions, IBP aggregates biodiversity data and provides free, open access to all. Key features include:

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WebGIS Map Module:

Interactive geospatial tools for biodiversity mapping.

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Species Pages Module:

Standards-compliant, detailed species information.

04

Document and Open Data Module:

Centralised access to biodiversity resources.

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Citizen Science Observation Module:

Engaging communities in data collection.

02

Global
Biodiversity Portals

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Bhutan Biodiversity Portal

A comprehensive resource for Bhutan’s biodiversity.

See Portal
02

WIKTROP

A knowledge portal for tropical weeds in farmlands. WIKTROP is a geographical extension of WIKWIO, a collaborative portal for weeds of tropical and Mediterranean areas around the world. It aims to capitalize, share, and spread knowledge on weeds and weed management as well as help in weed identification.

See Portal
03

MIKOKO Portal

The project Mikoko aims to meet the challenge of managing the Kenyan mangrove ecosystem strategically for climate change adaptation, protection of biodiversity and economic development of the coastal region.

See Portal
04

Madagascar Protected Areas Portal

Supporting conservation in Madagascar’s terrestrial protected areas, their history, description, and biodata.

See Portal

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Supported by
Global Conservation
Leaders

Strand’s biodiversity initiatives have been backed by leading organisations, including:

These partnerships, combined with Strand’s dedication to open-source development, ensure our platforms remain cutting-edge and accessible.

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03/ Agriculture Informatics

Empowering Farmers Through Platforms for Sustainable Agriculture

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Since 2018, Strand has expanded its expertise to sustainable agriculture, developing platforms to support small-scale farmers. As the technology partner for CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development), we contribute to impactful projects under the EU’s Switch Africa Green Program and GCCA+ DeSIRA initiative.

CropCert: A Platform for Coffee Certification

In Western Uganda's Rwenzori region, Strand is building CropCert, an open-source platform to support triple certification for coffee. This initiative aims to add value to small growers’ coffee, enabling better market prices. Key details:

  • Current Status: In alpha testing, accessible at the demo site.
  • Open Source: Microservices available in the CropCert GitHub repository.
  • Future Plans: Scaling up under the EU’s GCCA+ DeSIRA project.
04/ Conservation Projects

Community Conserved Areas, Enabling Local Conservation

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Strand is the technology partner for a platform documenting Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) across India and South Asia, launched in September 2022. As part of the data platform for the International Consortium for Community Conserved Areas (ICCA), we support global documentation of CCAs under international biodiversity conservation conventions. Key highlights:

  • Purpose: Facilitates documentation and management of community-led conservation efforts.
  • Scope: Covers India, South Asia, and global CCAs.
  • Platform: Visit the CCA Portal.
  • Launch: Watch the official launch on YouTube..
05/ Open Source

Our Commitment to Open Source

Strand’s extensive open-source codebase, refined through more than 15 years of projects, powers scalable platforms for biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. By prioritising open data and collaborative tools, such as our robust Biodiv codebase, we make critical information freely available for researchers, policymakers, and communities worldwide.

Join us in advancing biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture. Explore our platforms or contribute to our open-source initiatives today!

06/ FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

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Establishing a portal necessitates the allocation of both development and hardware resources. Portals are typically initiated and deployed as an outcome of a funded project, commonly secured through a grant that provides appropriate budgets for software, hardware, data curation, and outreach. Comprehensive budgetary provisions for long-term sustainability and maintenance are also essential for inclusion.
Yes, the development of custom features can be undertaken to address the specific requirements of individual projects. However, given that the common biodiversity codebase supports five existing portals, meticulous consideration and design are imperative to assess the potential effects on existing workflows and database structures. Furthermore, it is feasible to configure a portal by selectively incorporating or omitting existing modules, as well as by integrating newly developed custom modules.
Yes, the public can contribute observations to these portals. The observation module is designed to encourage citizen science and large-scale participation. Users can upload species observations, which include photographs, location, and notes. They can also help identify and confirm species identification. All contributions are made under Creative Commons licenses, with attribution to the contributor.
The Biodiv codebase, developed by Strand Life Sciences, powers biodiversity informatics platforms like the India Biodiversity Portal, Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, WIKTROP, and others. Below are key publications showcasing their development and impact:
03/ CONNECT

Let's Connect

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