Knowledge management evaluates the experience and know-how gathered from GIZ programmes and projects so that it can be used in policy consultancy and communication work.

In October 2006 GTZ (now GIZ) and the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) in the Dutch foreign office founded the Dutch-German ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa. The initiative supports all stakeholder groups in Africa involved in ABS mechanisms in developing and implementing ABS regulations in a way that serves as a model for others. Key elements of this process are knowledge management and the exchange of information among the various stakeholder groups and between DGIS and GIZ. This has very quickly developed the capacity of people and institutions in the field of access to genetic resources and benefit sharing (ABS).

Studies of the outcomes and successes of many GIZ projects have been carried out. The experience gathered from pilot measures in connection with the Convention on Biological Diversity is summarised in GIZ’s Issue Papers.

Internal knowledge management is also an important part of development cooperation. Since 1999 GTZ (now GIZ) has therefore organised seminars and training sessions on various aspects of nature conservation in developing countries, working with other organisations of German Development Cooperation and the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz, BfN). The “Vilm theses” – recommendations for action on CBD issues drawn up by seminar participants – feed directly into German development policy.