LIPI gets World Bank grant for biodiversity program

LIPI gets World Bank grant for biodiversity program

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) will
be receiving Rp 14.4 billion ($6.8 million) in grants from the
World Bank to fund its biodiversity program.

LIPI deputy chairman Aprilani Soegiarto told reporters
yesterday that the five-year block grant would be used to develop
the institute's Biological Research and Development Center in
handling a biodiversity data base.

The biggest chunk of the grant would be disbursed in October
and would be used chiefly to finance post graduate studies of
LIPI's research staff, he said.

Aprilani said that, due to Indonesia's incredible
biodiversity, there should be a complete catalog made to aid
scientists.

Indonesia ranks first in the world in terms of its mammal
diversity, third in reptiles, fourth in birds, fifth in
amphibious animals and seventh in plant life diversity.

There are believed to be more than 25,000 species of plants
and more than one million species of animals in the archipelago.
Of these, 30 percent of the plants and 90 percent of the animals
have not yet been properly identified.

Aprilia said Indonesia has only few experts to do inventory of
Indonesia's manifold flora and fauna.

LIPI has began initiatives to cooperate with foreign agencies
to execute its biodiversity program, he said. (prs)