Annexe 3 MSBP Training Strategy
The MSBP training programme: Building capacity to collect, conserve
and manage ex situ seed collections.
Updated Jan 2006
Introduction
Combining partner’s knowledge of their native floras with the seed
conservation skills gained over more than 30 years by RBG Kew's Seed
Conservation Department (SCD) is the essence of the Millennium Seed Bank
Project (MSBP). Capacity building activities, including training, infrastructure
improvements, collaborative research and information sharing, are key to
achieving the seed conservation aims of the project and are valued by MSBP
partners as important benefits enshrined within the Access and Benefit
Sharing Agreements.
The present strategy document has been developed in order to establish clear
priorities that will facilitate forward planning of the training programme within
the project’s capacity-building activities. It should be read in conjunction with
the Communications (dissemination) Strategy.
Definitions
In the context of the MSBP, capacity may be defined as: the ability of
individuals, groups, organisations and institutions to address and manage
seed conservation problems. Capacity building is the process of creating,
developing, strengthening, enhancing, improving or upgrading the capability
of individuals, institutions and national systems to address and manage seed
conservation problems. Seed conservation is the collection, conservation and
management of ex situ seed collections.
The training programme is one way in which the MSBP seeks to build
capacity. Infrastructure improvements, collaborative research, and information
sharing activities are other key means by which the project is building partners
capacity to address and manage seed conservation problems.
External context
The training and other capacity building activities of the project are situated
within an external context in which the following international agreements
and/or trends are of particular relevance:
Convention on Biological Diversity
RBG Kew and the MSBP are determined to honour the letter and spirit of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the first global, comprehensive
agreement to address all aspects of biological diversity: genetic resources,
species, and ecosystems. The convention recognises that the conservation of
biological diversity is “a common concern of humankind” and of utmost
importance in community development. The objectives of CBD are “the
conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and
the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of
genetic resources.” To achieve its objectives, the Convention  in accordance
with the spirit of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 
seeks to promote a renewed partnership among countries based on scientific
and technical co-operation, access to genetic resources, and the transfer of
environmentally sound technologies.
The concern of many countries to control access to, and the use of, their
national genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge is reflected
directly in the formulation of the CBD, which in turn has a clear impact on the
ways in which the MSBP works internationally. The need for prior informed
consent and the imperative of sharing benefits with its partners fairly and
equitably is respected. CBD Articles 12 (Research and Training) and 18
(Technical and Scientific Cooperation) are of particular relevance to the
MSBP training activities:
Article 12.
The Contracting Parties, taking into account the special needs of
developing countries, shall:
(a) Establish and maintain programmes for scientific and technical
education and training in measures for the identification, conservation
and sustainable use of biological diversity and its components and
provide support for such education and training for the specific needs
of developing countries;
Article 18. Paragraph 2.
Each Contracting Party shall promote technical and scientific
cooperation with other Contracting Parties, in particular developing
countries, in implementing this Convention, inter alia, through the
development and implementation of national policies. In promoting
such cooperation, special attention should be given to the development
and strengthening of national capabilities, by means of human
resources development and institution building.
The CBD’s Global Strategy for Plant Conservation includes the following
target:
15. The number of trained people working with appropriate facilities
in plant conservation increased, according to national needs, to
achieve the targets of this Strategy1
There have been numerous CBD decisions on capacity building2, including
those specifically relating to training activities within the dry and sub-humid
lands3 and Agricultural Biodiversity4 thematic work programmes.
The Global Plan of Action (GPA) for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for
Food and Agriculture (PGRFA)
The GPA5 presents an agreed comprehensive agenda for action for the
conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA6, comprising 20 priority actions,
including “Expanding and Improving Education and Training” (Action 19). The
1999 Progress Report on the Implementation of the Global Plan of Action7
stated that “training remains a pressing need” while the 2001 Progress
Report8 concludes that “in many developing countries, the level of availability
of advanced-level training opportunities, or even short-term training, is still
low”.
Millennium Development Goals, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, World Summit on
Sustainable Development
There is growing awareness that many of the issues relating to the
conservation of plant and animal diversity in the most biodiverse regions of
the world cannot be addressed effectively without also addressing the
concerns of the communities living in those areas. Kew is increasingly
engaged in programmes that also have a social dimension and connect to
broader efforts to improve the lives of poor people in different parts of the
world. Through capacity building Kew and the MSBP are contributing to the
international effort to provide long term solutions to issues of poverty and
subsistence for some of the world’s poorest people.
Institutional context
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The mission of The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is:
1
See Decision VI/9, Annex GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR PLANT CONSERVATION, sub-objective e,
target xv. http://www.biodiv.org/decisions/default.asp?lg=0&m=cop-06&d=09
2
See Table 2 in http://www.gefweb.org/Documents/Council_Documents/GEF_C17/C.17.6.Rev1.pdf
3
See Decision V/23 Draft Programme Activity 7(i)
http://www.biodiv.org/decisions/default.asp?lg=0&m=cop-05&d=23
4
See Decision V/5 (9), Programme Element 3
http://www.biodiv.org/decisions/default.asp?lg=0&m=cop-05&d=05
5
See http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPS/Pgrfa/Pdf/GPAENG.PDF
Defined in the International Treaty on PGRFA as “genetic material of plant origin of actual or potential value for food
and agriculture” PGRFA clearly includes the Economic plants prioritised by the MSBP’s three ‘E’s.
6
7
8
See ftp://ext-ftp.fao.org/waicent/pub/cgrfa8/8-3-e.pdf
See http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/AGRICULT/AGP/AGPS/pgr/ITWG/pdf/P1W2E.pdf
"To ensure better management of the Earth's environment by
increasing knowledge and understanding of the plant and fungal
kingdoms - the basis of life on earth".
This mission is achieved through sustained, long-term partnerships,
strengthened by capacity building activities designed to enhance the scientific,
technical and institutional capacity of collaborators to carry out research in
plant diversity and apply the results in programmes focusing on the
conservation and sustainable utilisation of their indigenous plant resources.
Mechanisms include: provision of identification services; the supply of key
literature and type images; one-to-one training of overseas scientists, and
intensive diploma courses delivered by Kew staff – both at Kew and abroad.
The MSBP training programme contributes towards the 4th of Kew’s primary
business aims:
Support Kew’s own activities, and those of policy makers and
collaborators in the UK and overseas, in the conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity, through partnerships, capacity building,
joint research, training and advice.
Kew’s last Science Audit9 noted that future capacity building activities must be
aligned with “Kew's main systematic, geographic and biome spheres of
operation”. The training activities of the MSBP focus on the worlds Drylands, a
priority area for Kew. Drylands cover a third of the Earth’s land surface and
support over a billion people. It is vital to support overseas collaborators in
such areas in order to reduce land degradation and maximise the potential of
plant diversity for poverty alleviation. The UK and the EU are the other main
beneficiaries of the MSBP training programme.
Seed Conservation Department
The Seed Conservation Department of Kew has a long history of training and
capacity building. The department designed and delivered courses on Seed
Technology for Gene Banks for IPGRI (then IBPGR) in 1984 and 1986. 2
training workshops on Recent Advances in Seed Conservation were held in
Nairobi in 1997 and 1999 as part of the National Museums of Kenya-Darwin
plant conservation training for East Africa project. SCD staff teach on the Kew
Diploma in Horticulture and a one-week module on seed banking is offered as
part of the Kew International Diploma in Plant Conservation Strategies.
Staff have considerable experience of supervising PhD and MSc student
projects and have contributed a unit on seed conservation and genebank
management to the Birmingham University MSc in Conservation and
Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources since the late 1980's. More recently,
the department has provided a week-long residential taught course on Seed
Banking together with research project supervision to the University of Sussex
MSc in Plant Conservation (Seed Banking). Staff members also provide
teaching and research supervision to the Cryobiology (Cryopreservation and
Conservation) MSc run by the University of Luton.
The Millennium Seed Bank Project (MSBP)
The MSBP aims to put in place a leading worldwide seed conservation network, capable of
safeguarding targeted wild plant species and contributing to global conservation targets. To
date, CBD compliant Access and Benefit Sharing Agreements have been signed with 45
institutions in 18 countries. The project partnerships vary in their structure and scope but all
aim to collect and conserve seeds and strengthen in-country capacity for seed banking. In
addition, the Donations Programme works with other collaborators who wish to use the MSB’s
long-term storage facilities for the conservation of seed collections from other parts of the
world. These collaborations also give rise to training activities.
Output 4 (‘Technology transfer’) of the MSBP aims to:
facilitate the adoption of best practice seed conservation technology internally and by
project partners and to make best practice seed conservation technology accessible
to the wider scientific community.
This will be achieved through the following activities:
4.1
Designing/sourcing, supplying and commissioning new equipment and
facilities
4.2
Developing and maintaining the Seed Information Database
4.3
Providing a coordinated response to scientific and technical enquiries
from project partners and the wider scientific community.
9
http://web/DIRECTORATE/sciaudit/Volume%202%20SCIENCE%20PROGRAMMES/
4.4
4.5
Designing and delivering appropriate training and capacity building
support internally, to project partners and to other targeted groups.
Preparing and delivering contribitions to scientific publications, lectures,
seminars and conferences.
Objective of the MSBP training programme
Assess the training needs of international partners and collaborators and coordinate, deliver and evaluate appropriate training that integrates with other
internal and external conservation training initiatives. eg. Kew’s International
Diplomas, Birmingham CUPGR MSc, Sussex University MSc, IPGRI Training
Programmes and relevant university courses in partner countries.
Priorities
Decisions about specific training activities are guided by a) partners and
collaborators needs and b) project needs. Often these will coincide, but it may
be that partners and collaborators have wider training needs not directly
related to project activities, or that Kew-based project staff develop training
activities not necessarily oriented towards partners or collaborators.
The immediate priority of the training programme will be to build capacity of
partners to fulfil their agreed contributions to the seed collection and
conservation aims of the MSBP. This training will mostly be aimed at project
staff collecting and conserving seeds.
As well as this sort of foundation training, a higher level of training is
envisaged for a very much smaller number of people in each partner country.
In this way the long-term prospects of the project will be enhanced, through
the creation of some in-country experts.10 At this level, training needs are
likely to be concerned with wider issues of biodiversity conservation as well as
seed conservation.
At a higher level still, the MSBP training programme will seek wider impact and long term
sustainability by supporting existing or developing national and regional training initiatives.
In addition to meeting the training needs of partners and collaborators, the
MSBP training programme will continue to support Kew’s International
Diplomas, and the Birmingham, Sussex and Luton University MSc. Courses.
Other strategic questions:
Training of technical staff or training of trainers?
see T:\SCD.WKG\Departmental\MSB Phase III\Baseline Documents\MSBP Measures by
Milestones.doc
10
At present, formal “train the trainer” type training is not envisaged. However, all trainees are
expected to transmit the knowledge and skills they gain, either formally or informally.
Technical staff will be trained as a matter of immediate priority, whilst those staff selected for
higher level training will be particularly well-placed and well equipped to train others. Such
training will have a direct impact on conservation practices and will build capacity for
managers to educate and train their own technical staff and others.
Short, intensive courses organised around specific topics or longer-term
courses?
Again, this is a balance between immediate needs and longer-term
sustainability. The early stages of an MSBP partnership or collaboration are
more likely to involve short, intensive courses, but as the relationship
develops it is more likely that opportunities to support longer term in-country
and regional initiatives, will arise.
Emphasis on in-country or WTMB-based training?
Whilst in-country training is perhaps the most cost effective way to transfer
skills to the widest number of participants, it has to be recognised that
partners particularly value the experience of visiting the WTMB. Benefits of incountry training include cost, use of local expertise, use of local species and
habitats for practical training. On the other hand, visits to the WTMB exposes
partners to ‘state-of-the-art’ techniques and expertise, and enables them to
establish contacts with the rest of RBG Kew and other UK-based plant
conservation institutions. They will also often be able to share experiences
and skills with other MSBP partners and collaborators.
How does the MSBP training programme integrate with the rest of Kew’s
training and capacity-building activities?
Apart from the courses and activities co-ordinated by the Higher Education
team, capacity building outputs are now required elements of all Kew projects.
As a result, there is likely to be increased co-ordination between departments
with respect to needs assessment, planning, delivery and subsequent
evaluation of training. Within the MSBP, partners wider training needs will
often be met by other Kew departments, for instance through attendance of
the International diploma courses, or attachments to the herbarium or Jodrell
laboratory.
Will the MSBP adopt distance learning and Web-based training initiatives?
This is not a high priority at present. Such training methods would not easily
impact on the seed collection activities nor, due to technical, financial and
time limitations, are they appropriate for many MSBP partners. However, their
use by other parts of Kew, or other institutions offering biodiversity-related
training will be monitored.
Training Needs Assessment
The Training Needs Assessment (TNA) is an essential stage in the training
process. In helping to identify existing gaps in knowledge and skills it will
enable us to better plan training to meet partner’s priorities and needs, and
also to identify who should (and who should not) participate in specific
courses or workshops. It is also essential as a baseline for any future
evaluation/impact assessment of the MSBP training programme. Carried out
in a participatory, consultative manner, TNA should aim to motivate potential
participants, and promote partners ‘ownership’ of the training programme.
Training needs will be identified as part of a logical project development
process; training will be clearly linked to agreed project activities, and to staff
with identified project responsibilities. It is important that a training needs
assessment be carried out as part of the pre-project activities in order that any
immediate training needs can be addressed before any collecting missions
take place.
TNA will be carried out as follows:
a) immediate priority/short term project needs
Baseline documents of the MSBP state that: “The collecting targets agreed
between the Partners are undertaken with an appropriate level of expertise”.11
This requires an agreed definition of what is an “appropriate level of expertise”
and an assessment of the level of expertise (of project personnel) in each
partner organisation.
After discussion with the International Co-ordinators, and using the Field
Manual of Seed Collecting as a guide, a checklist of knowledge/skills against
which the existing expertise of partner staff can be assessed was drawn up
and is completed by partners during project development discussions. This
checklist may also be used to re-assess training needs during the course of a
project.
If thought appropriate, this informal assessment may be supported by
individual and group exercises designed to assess technical knowledge and
specific skills of scientists/technicians. A participatory TNA workshop session
has been developed which could be used as part of a project development
workshop.
Existing or previous training activities should also be reviewed. Information
can be obtained via interviews with key persons, library/internet research, or
possibly as part of a group workshop, and should include:




11
the availability and location of existing (or past) training programmes,
courses, manuals etc
the depth of experience of those currently involved in delivering training
the purpose of existing training programmes and the target groups they
cater for
the effectiveness of existing training programmes in meeting the needs of
participants
see T:\SCD.WKG\Departmental\MSB Phase III\Baseline Documents\MSBP Measures by
Milestones.doc



the features of existing (or past) training programmes that were effective in
building capacity
the numbers of people who have participated in existing training
programmes
the costs, funding sources etc. of existing programmes
b) to meet medium-term/wider priorities
Training needs assessment for this level of capacity building should be based
on partner’s organisational plans/strategies (if they exist). In some cases
training needs may have already been identified. If such documents are not
available, national biodiversity strategies and action plans may provide a list
of identified training needs.
c) Long term
The GEF Capacity Development Initiative (CDI) made a broad assessment of
capacity building needs relating to a) Biodiversity, b) Climate Change and c)
Desertification. In relation to implementation of the CBD, “ex situ conservation
of both wild and domestic biodiversity (botanical gardens, zoos, gene banks)”
was highlighted as a priority concern common across countries and regions.
PGR Conservation training needs have been identified by FAO12 and
ISNAR/SGRP/PGRI13 and many actions are underway14.
Training Activities
A variety of training options are offered, ranging from informal hands-on
technical training, formal courses such as the Seed Conservation Techniques
course, in-country training courses and workshops and support to postgraduate training. A set of Powerpoint presentations, background reading
materials and practical exercises designed to be lifted out and used on or off
site, to meet specific training needs, has been developed to support the
project’s training activities. Some of these materials are also available in
French and Spanish.
a) Short term
Immediate priority/short term project needs are most effectively met by incountry training courses and workshops, joint collecting missions and informal
technical training at WTMB. Training courses, delivered by SCD staff, and key
resource persons from partner countries, provide practical-based training on
seed conservation for MSBP partners and other invited participants.
Fourth International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources; State of the World’s Plant
genetic Resources;
13
See http://www.sgrp.cgiar.org/1998activities-training.html and
http://www.sgrp.cgiar.org/1999activities-capacitybuildin.html
14
See FAO (….) Inventory of ongoing activities and instruments for agricultural biodiversity at the
international level http://www.fao.org/biodiversity/docs/html/DPlant-e.htm#training ;
UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA (2000) Agricultural biological diversity: assessment of ongoing activities and
instruments.UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/5/inf/10. http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meetings/sbstta/sbstta05/information/sbstta-05-inf-10-en.pdf
12
In the early stages of a project joint collecting missions provide a good
opportunity for SCD staff to train technical staff on seed collecting and field
processing skills; they also allow the re-enforcement of skills learnt on training
courses.
Technical staff visiting the WTMB for on-the-job training usually arrive after
collecting expeditions have taken place in their home countries. The main
training objective is to develop seed processing and testing skills through
practical experience of working on collections relevant to their own projects.
Trainees work closely with the Curation Section.
b) medium term
Appropriate training to meet medium-term/wider priorities might include
participation in the Kew International Diploma in Plant Conservation
Strategies, the Seed Conservation Techniques course, an appropriate MSc.
Course, or a research attachment at WTMB.
The RBG Kew International Diploma in Plant Conservation Strategies (PCS)
is a biennial eight-week residential course hosted jointly by RBG Kew’s Higher
Education team and the Seed Conservation Department. The full course,
leading to the award of the International Diploma in Plant Conservation
Strategies, comprises a four-week module based at RBG Kew covering
general aspects of plant conservation, a one-week introductory module on
seed conservation based at WTMB, followed by a 3-week project. MSBP
partners have the option to attend the full course leading to the International
Diploma or alternatively may opt for a four week Certificate in Seed
Conservation Techniques, which would involve the one week introductory
module on seed conservation plus additional modules focussing on seed
conservation practice.
A three-week certificate course in Seed Conservation Techniques (SCT) is
offered in those years when the PCS is not being run. The SCT course targets
graduate scientists and professionals directly involved in seed conservation
programmes. The main focus is to educate trainees on the practical
implications of recent advances in seed biology. Participation in this course
may be followed by a further period of technical training at WTMB tailored to
specific needs of individuals.
For some MSBP partner institutions there may be a need for post-graduate training for certain key staff.
These will be graduate scientists expected to play or already playing a significant role in the MSBP
partnership. The policy of the MSBP is to utilise relevant MSc and PhD programmes running at local or
regional universities, with a research attachment at WTMB incorporated as part of the programme. PhD
applications are considered and endorsed by the SCD Student Steering Committee before MSBP funding is
made available.
c) long term
The most appropriate way for SCD to address training needs at this level is through strategic
partnerships. This will involve other departments within Kew and will require building upon
existing links and forging new ones with conservation/PGR/development networks within a
broader framework of managing drylands plant genetic resources.
Kew’s Corporate Plan identifies capacity building and education and the
sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity as major areas of
collaboration with other organisations. These successes should be built upon,
whilst at the same time ensuring that SCD is differentiated from similar
institutions, and that its contribution is distinctive and complementary to the
work of others. The new collaboration with FAO will provide opportunities to
learn lessons about these issues.
As well as direct involvement of SCD staff in such initiatives, a key aim will be
to support national or regional staff (often the same people who will have
benefited from earlier MSBP training) through provision of training materials,
advice, research attachments at WTMB etc. For example, MSBP partner staff
in Kenya have contributed to curriculum development and provide teaching on
an undergraduate diploma in Plant Genetic Resources Conservation and
Utilisation at Maseno University.
There are many potential partner organisations or networks already involved
in training and capacity building in PGR and/or plant conservation, including
FAO, IPGRI, ISNAR, GTZ etc. Contact will be made/maintained with the main
institutions, programmes and networks operating in regions where MSBP
activities are planned.
Monitoring and evaluation
Kew’s last Science Audit noted that future capacity building activities must be
“carefully documented” in order to allow Kew staff to learn from the
experiences and facilitate the use of capacity building activities and products
as currency in future benefit-sharing agreements negotiated with our
collaborators. The MSBP training programme critically reviews its activities in
order to continually improve the training provided to partners, promote
accountability and aid future fundraising. MSBP partners are also encouraged
to think about how they are going to assess whether their national capacity
has been strengthened.
A typical 4-level approach to evaluation is used. Data and information is
obtained on:




trainees perceptions of various aspects of the training (REACTION)
the knowledge and skills acquired by trainees (LEARNING)
how the acquired knowledge and skills are applied by trainees
(APPLICATION)
what the outcomes/impact of applying the acquired skills and
knowledge are (OUTCOME).
Testing immediate reaction to a particular training event is straightforward.
Standard evaluation forms for training courses and technical/research
attachments have been developed. Methods of measuring at subsequent
levels may vary:
How to test what knowledge and skills have been learnt?
 The PCS course has an exam, project and viva.
 Technical attachments currently have no assessment.
 The Mexico training course used “3 minute exams” to assess the
effectiveness of the course. Participants were given 3 minutes for each
session and asked to list the key elements of that particular topic.
 The SCT course include a short written assessment, including multichoice and fill-in-the blank type questions.
The type of “test” depends on the training activity and the level of the
participants. Written tests may not be the most appropriate for technical staff
on practical training attachments. Tests and exams may be inappropriate for
senior, well-educated, professionally expert, and very experienced staff.
Suitable “tests” for such people could include the drawing up of action plans,
drawing up group projects which pool their expertise with what they have
learnt.
How to monitor the application of the acquired knowledge and skills?
 Informal reports from participants eg Kew’s on-COURSE newsletter,
reports in Samara
 MSBP staff visiting participants to see how they are doing.
 Formalised follow up with participants and/or their managers.
 Monitoring implementation of action plans
Formalised follow up questionnaires do not always fulfil objectives, mainly
because of low response rates. We need to develop ways of making it easier
for participants to record concretely how MSBP training has been useful to
them, and how it might have been even more useful.
How to monitor what the outcomes of applying the acquired skills and
knowledge are?
The recent MSBP log-frame exercise identified the following indicators that
will provide a measure of the real impact of the project’s technology transfer
activities. (It would be difficult, and probably not cost-effective, to try to
separate the impact of training activities from the provision of equipment,
facilities and information in facilitating technology transfer).

100% of new or improved seed conservation methods developed by science and
technology programme adopted by SCD and/or partners.

Increased % of cleaned and germinated collections received from
partners
Increase in trainee days provided by MSB-trained partner staff

M+E forms
A number of different forms have been developed, and need to be revised,
and integrated where necessary. These include:
Form
Use
TNA checklist
for evaluation
Plan training, baseline
Visitor interests table
Plan residential visits
Visitor feedback
visitors
Assess immediate reaction of
Training plan
Guide the delivery and
evaluation of training
Training course evaluation form
trainees.
Assess immediate reaction of
Fundraising
Although a significant part of the MSBP budget is dedicated to training
activities, these correspond in the main to satisfying immediate, projectrelated needs, and funding for the PCS/SCT course. The budget does not
include funding for the medium-long term capacity building activities
discussed above, and it will be necessary to source external funds to support
these activities.
It is thought that it should be possible to access corporate sponsorship for certain items, for
example, individual studentships for the PCS/SCT course etc. The training manager, the
international co-ordinators and the Foundation co-ordinate fundraising as necessary. The
British Council may be a source of support for in-country training workshops or for
studentships. Commonwealth Professional Fellowships have allowed a number of research
attachments.