The purpose of this document is to provide development workers, researchers, policymakers and other interested parties with updated information about institutions in Tanzania that are working in the field of gender, biodiversity and local knowledge systems. The document is based on an inventory developed in 1998 by Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC).

The institutions in the directory fall into four main groups: Government agencies, NGOs, international organisations, and donor-funded projects and programmes. The institutions field of work include research, communication, training, as well as policy and advocacy. Within the above mentioned groups, institutions are selected on basis of their activities in one or more of the following areas:

1. Local knowledge (or indigenous knowledge) as it relates to agricultural practices in support of household food security. Of particular interest are efforts addressing gender differences in the local knowledge systems, and/or conservation of biological resources.

2. Biodiversity conservation as it relates to agricultural systems and utilisation of natural ecosystems through forestry or fisheries practices. Examples are management of local seed/plant varieties (landrace) and gender differences in local knowledge systems for utilisation of natural resources, community seed exchange, and support for local domestic animal breeds.

3. Gender as it relates to the above issues, e.g. gender differences in agro-biodiversity management and roles and responsibilities in local knowledge systems.

The LinKS project: “Gender, biodiversity and local knowledge to strengthen agricultural and rural development” is a regional effort aimed at raising awareness of the value of rural people’s knowledge related to the use and management of agricultural biological systems for maintaining and enhancing food security.