News

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16 March 2010

E-mail consultation WOTRO Strategy 2011-2014

The Board of WOTRO kindly invites the scientific community, policy makers and development practitioners affiliated to WOTRO to comment on WOTRO’s plans for the future as outlined in the draft Strategic Plan 2011-2014.
5 March 2010

Tracking Development Falsification Award: € 5000,-

Tracking Development is a multilateral, international research project on the comparative development trajectories of Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa over the last 50 years. The project is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and executed by the African Studies Centre and the KITLV in Leiden.
5 March 2010

WOTRO Strategy Meeting

16 February 2010

Some tropical tree species grow faster than before

By performing tree ring analysis, WOTRO researcher Danaë Rozendaal studied the long-term tree growth patterns of tropical trees. She showed that growth rates of trees gradually increased in the past two centuries.
16 February 2010

Farmers drive deforestation in Rondonia, in the Brazilian Amazon

Small-scale farmers who lease land from the Brazilian government are largely responsible for deforestation in the Brazilian state of Rondonia in the Amazon area. In most areas with agrarian projects, more than fifty percent of the land has been cleared of forests.
15 February 2010

New call for Fast Track Research into Conflict

The NWO has launched a second call for proposals within the theme Conflict and Security. The focus of this call is on Fast Track Research into emerging, active, escalating or de-escalating conflict. Researchers may apply for funding to do research while the conflict is 'active' or suddenly transforming.
15 February 2010

Call for Vici proposals 2010

The forms and instructions for Vici-applications in 2010 are now available on the web. You may submit your application to one of the eight NWO divisions or, in case of an interdivisional application, to WOTRO. Deadline for submission is 30 March 2010.
15 February 2010

New Call for social science Exchange Visits with India

The third Call for Exchange visits between India and the Netherlands has been launched by the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), with a deadline of 18 May 2010.
11 February 2010

Marianne de Visser joins NWO Governing Board

Prof. Marianne de Visser will join the Governing Board of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) on 1 February 2010. De Visser is a neurologist at the Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam and professor of neuromuscular diseases at the University of Amsterdam. She succeeds retiring member Charles Buys.
2 February 2010

31 top Dutch researchers receive a Vici grant

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 31 innovative scientists a Vici grant. This grant is worth a maximum of 1,500,000 euro per person and with this is one of the largest individual grants in the Netherlands. Researchers can use the grant to build up their own research group over a period of five years.
22 December 2009

Four Integrated Programmes awarded

As result of the Integrated Programmes subsidy of 2009, the WOTRO board awarded four new Integrated Programmes. Each programme consists of three or more (inter)related Ph.D. and/or post-doc projects.
18 December 2009

Vidi for research on pluralism in Muslim public spheres

November 18th NWO awarded a Vidi grant to 89 talented researchers, one of whom related to the research field of WOTRO. Prof. dr. P.P. Eisenlohr received a grant for his research into ‘Islam and Multicultural Citizenship: Practical Morality and Pluralism in Muslim Public Spheres’.
17 December 2009

Food supplements to fight malaria infections

WOTRO researcher Erasto Mbugi received his PhD for his research on the effects of supplementation with zinc and other multi-micronutrients on the health, development and well being of Tanzanian children. The results of this study will provide useful information to policy makers that will help to assist the community to fight against infection through improved nutrition, particularly in children.
16 December 2009

Cees Veerman joins NWO Governing Board

Prof. C.P. Veerman has been appointed a member of the Governing Board of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). The professor and former government minister has been appointed with effect from 1 November 2009.
16 December 2009

Call for Vidi proposals open

You may submit your application to one of the eight NWO divisions or, in case of an interdivisional application, to WOTRO. We encourage researchers who address development oriented research issues to apply to the appropriate NWO division.
16 December 2009

Awards within Programme Cultural Dynamics

On 5 November 2009 the applications within the second round of the research programme Cultural Dynamics were granted. A total number of six research projects, two of which are related to the research field of WOTRO, have been awarded a subsidy of € 450,000 each.
15 December 2009

Integrated Progammes Call 2010

A new call for Integrated Programmes is now open for applications. The deadline for submission is 6 April 2010, 12.00 hrs. Applicants are invited to submit proposals fitting into one or more of the WOTRO-themes - poverty and hunger, sustainable environment and global relationships - , or proposals that touch upon topics beyond the MDG related thematic framework.
15 December 2009

NWO sends young scientific talent out into the big, wide world

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded grants from the Rubicon programme to 35 young and promising scientists. The grant enables Dutch researchers who have recently gained their PhDs to gain research experience in other countries, and foreign researchers to gain research experience in the Netherlands.
14 December 2009

The Cocoon programme experiments with a new way of working

Water, energy and other natural resources are scarce. How can we prevent the outbreak of violent conflicts around the world - particularly when these resources are becoming even more limited due to climate change? This is one of the key questions of the new Cocoon programme. Professor of Human Geography Ton Dietz (University of Amsterdam) is chairman of the steering committee and enthusiastic about this programme which turns the ordinary NWO working method upside down.
3 December 2009

Call for proposals for Responsible Innovation (MVI)

The NWO programme Responsible Innovation invites applications for research into societal and ethical aspects of technological development. The call includes the following themes: Human enhancement; Food; Animals, nature & natural habitat; and Intellectual Property Regimes (IPR). Research with relevance for and in cooperation with developing countries is explicitly invited.
30 November 2009

Asian Eden, Large herbivore ecology in India

WOTRO researcher Farshid Ahrestani, who defended his PhD on 30 November, studied the impact of body mass on the biology and ecology of large herbivores in India. He showed that richness in large herbivore species in India can be explained as a function of plaint available nutrients and moisture.
24 November 2009

Health reforms result in social exclusion of the urban poor from decent health services (Tanzania)

This concludes WOTRO researcher Tausi Mbaga Kida who shows that given the high incidence of poverty, the restructured health care systems – both private and public – de facto have affected the access to and utilization of decent health care services for the urban poor.
18 November 2009

December 8th: “Understanding Peace, Conflict and Violence: do we need new approaches?”

ISS- Erasmus University of Rotterdam Conference with Professor Johan Galtung. The conference aims to provide space for scholarly reflection on the conundrums faced by those researching and teaching in peace and conflict studies.
17 November 2009

A New Study into the Alternative Use of Agricultural Crops

The selection procedure for the new research programme 'Agriculture beyond Food' has been completed by the Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research (NWO) and the Royal Dutch Academy of Science (KNAW) together with their Indonesian partners. This five year scientific programme investigates the opportunities and limitations of bio-based products.
13 November 2009

A New Study into the Alternative Use of Agricultural Crops

The selection procedure for the new research programme ‘Agriculture beyond Food’ has been completed. This five year scientific programme investigates the opportunities and limitations of bio-based products.
11 November 2009

A top researcher on your bookshelves with EXPERIMENT NL 2

Following the major success of the first part of EXPERIMENT NL, EXPERIMENT NL 2 is now in the shops. The fourth NWO book for the general public, Experiment NL 2, describes the most remarkable, brilliant, amusing and exciting research projects over the past year, in easily accessible language. Read how we can help shy people, why some sportsmen and women shave themselves, and how a baby chimpanzee grows up without being attended to.
9 November 2009

PostDoc position (0,5 fte for 2 years)

WOTRO has made available a 0.5 fte PostDoc position for a period of 2 years to support the Prince Claus chairholder in the development of her research. The position is available at the research Group “Interactions Civil society and Markets” of ISS. The main focus of this group is: understanding the changing roles of civil society organisations in general and development oriented NGOs in particular, in achieving sustainable economic development and income poverty reduction in the South.
3 November 2009

Giller receives grant from Gates Foundation

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gives 17.2 million dollars to a project of Ken Giller to improve soil fertility and food production in Africa.
29 October 2009

NACCAP mid-term review

Early 2009 an external mid-term review (MTR) for NACCAP was conducted to gain insight into the progress towards achieving NACCAPs objectives, and specifically into the added value of NACCAP within EDCTP. In addition, the recommendations were made for future steps for the Dutch contribution to EDCTP.
29 October 2009

NACCAP/EDCTP satellite meeting: African researchers are missing out on publications and career advancement

During the Fifth EDCTP forum on 13 October 2009 in Arusha, NACCAP and EDCTP organized a satellite meeting on fair ownership of research results to identify needs in order for funders to better align their funding strategies and policies. The attendees of this meeting observed (amongst others) that African researchers are missing out on publications and career advancement, because they fail to claim their ownership. But what are the underlying reasons for that?
27 October 2009

Volkswagen Foundation: Call for proposals for African Researchers

The Volkswagen Foundation opened a call for Pre-Proposals for Postdoctoral Junior Fellowships for African Researchers on “Resources, their Dynamics, and Sustainability – Capacity Development in Comparative and Integrated Approaches”. Deadline for submission is 15 December 2009.
20 October 2009

Responsible Innovation - First autumn meeting

The first autumn meeting of the thematic research programme Responsible Innovation (MVI) is now open for registrations. The MVI projects involve research into ethical and societal questions raised by technological developments, such as neurosciences, nanotechnology, biotechnology and ICT. Areas of concern include safety, health, privacy, responsibility and research output.
14 October 2009

Third DPRN call for proposals

DPRN has a budget of € 300,000 to be spent on processes which are aimed at ongoing communication, debate and cooperation between experts from different sectors. The processes are to effectively result in policy reviews, increased cooperation and synergy, preferably in the form of policy-relevant research proposals and other follow-up actions. Deadline for submission is 7 December 2010.
13 October 2009

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is looking for new approaches to preventing unintended pregnancies

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $100 million to encourage scientists worldwide to expand the pipeline of ideas to fight our greatest health challenges. One of the four topics covered in the 4th call for proposals is ‘Create New Technologies for Contraception’. Deadline for submission is November 2, 2009.
7 October 2009

Sustainable Earth Newsletter - October 2009

'Sustainable Earth' is one of NWO's themes in research. Subjects are human behaviour, use of natural resources and ecology, all for a sustainable planet Earth. This newsletter focuses on research and activities by NWO and occasionally also includes articles by other partners.
28 September 2009

Chinese New Migrants in Suriname

During his study on the Chinese community in Suriname, WOTRO researcher Paul Tjon Sie Fat discovered that the new migrants of the early 2000s were not Chinese yet, but became Chinese in the light of Suriname expectations.
23 September 2009

Addis Ababa kick off Cocoon matchmaking meetings

On 15 and 16 September the first of three matchmaking meetings for CoCooN took place in Addis Ababa. About 50 participants from 22 different countries attended the meeting. The meeting especially offered the opportunity to enlarge networks, enhance the establishment of consortia and exchange ideas on elaborating proposals for the CoCooN programme.
15 September 2009

Professor E. Bulte new member WOTRO Board

Professor Erwin Bulte joined the WOTRO board on 1 September 2009.
15 September 2009

Professor E. Smaling new member WOTRO Board

With effect from 1 September 2009, the General board of NWO has appointed professor Eric Smaling to the WOTRO board.
15 September 2009

Reappointment Prof. W. van Genugten as chair of WOTRO Board

With effect from 1 September 2009, Prof. Willem J.M. van Genugten has been reappointed as chair of the NWO division that focuses on scientific research in the area of development issues (WOTRO).
7 September 2009

Two new members WOTRO Executive Board

With effect from 1 September 2009, the Governing Board of NWO has appointed two new members to the WOTRO Executive Board. They are Prof. E (Eric) Smaling and Prof. E (Erwin) Bulte. Prof. W. (Willem) van Genugten has been reappointed as chair of the Executive Board.
4 September 2009

Call for contributions: excellence and relevance in development research

The Platform MDG Profs is looking for examples of research which are demonstrably excellent academically as well as relevant to development cooperation. The contributions selected will be published in a one-off English-language magazine which will be presented to the Dutch ministers Plasterk and Koenders. The magazine will also be distributed widely amongst researchers, research institutions, university management and policy makers. Project descriptions must be submitted before October 10, 2009.
25 August 2009

Coral species on Great Barrier Reef adapting to climate change

The coral species Acropora millepora is able to adapt to a warmer climate. This has been revealed by research conducted by biologist Jos Mieog. There’s a limit to its adaptability, however.
24 August 2009

Archive Newsflash 2008

14 August 2009

EU Call for Africa

The EU FP7-Africa call has been released. The aim of this call is to address some of the Science & Technology objectives of the ‘Africa - EU Strategic Partnership' putting emphasis on 'Water and Food Security' and 'Better Health for Africa'. Information day will be at 18 September and deadline 14 January 2010, 17:00 hrs CET.
14 August 2009

WOTRO board member makes large step in the development of a vaccine against malaria

Researchers from the St Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen, under the direction of Prof. Sauerwein, were able to protect Dutch volunteers against malaria within a couple of months. The development of a vaccine against malaria has come a step closer.
12 August 2009

Seven million for Graduate Programme

The Dutch Minister of Education, Science and Culture, Mr Ronald Plasterk, has announced which nine research schools are to participate in the first Graduate Programme. The subsidy is intended for the creation of an excellent educational and research environment for highly talented young researchers.
11 August 2009

Tuberculosis treatment may be shortened

According to Dutch researcher Hanneke Later-Nijland, it may be possible to shorten the duration of treatment for tuberculosis. Due to the long duration of treatment, not every patient sees it through. Partly because of this, tuberculosis is one of the most lethal diseases in developing countries.
7 August 2009

Subsidy for sustainability of Biomass Import

The Dutch ministries of Economic Affairs and of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality made 7,5 million euro’s available for innovative projects on sustainable import of biomass to the Netherlands. Deadline for proposals is 15 October 2009.
3 August 2009

Call for proposals CoCooN

WOTRO Science for Global Development has recently launched the first call of the research programme Conflict and Cooperation over Natural Resources in Developing Countries (Cocoon) - integrated projects. The deadline for submitting preliminary proposals is 3 November 2009, 12:00 hrs CET.
27 July 2009

Call for Expressions of Interest: Latin America and South Asia

The Think Tank Initiative invites applications from independent policy research organizations that are committed to using research to inform and influence national-level social and economic policy related to growth, equity and poverty reduction.
22 July 2009

Top-class ethnic minority graduates to receive doctoral grants

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded grants under the Mosaic programme to twenty young, talented ethnic minority graduates. The budding researchers can use the grant to conduct doctoral research over a four-year period. The certificates will be presented at a ceremony in October.
14 July 2009

START Grants for Global Environmental Change Research in Africa

START, the global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training (www.start.org) is pleased to announce a Call for Proposals for research and assessments of global environmental change (GEC) in Africa in the context of the Joint Projects of the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP).
10 July 2009

Rubicon award for Ward Berenschot

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a Rubicon grant to 34 young, highly promising scientists. One of the award winners is former WOTRO-sponsored researcher dr Ward Berenschot. He received an award for his project ‘Patronage networks as an infrastructure for ethnic violence ’.
7 July 2009

NWO invests 6 million euro in conflict research

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has honoured 11 proposals within the theme Conflict and Security. This will allow 9 postdocs and 20 PhDs to carry out research for 5 years and shall release 8 researchers from their teaching obligations. Their research shall provide new insights into the societal consequences of conflicts.
7 July 2009

NWO sends young researchers into the big wide world

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a Rubicon grant to 34 young, highly promising scientists.
30 June 2009

The Virgin Mary strikes back

Bolivian pilgrims come to her in huge numbers to complain about their poor financial position and the neoliberal system which they blame for this. Women also grab the chance to vent their frustrations about their dominant husbands. The Virgin Mary of Urkupiña not only provides a listening ear, but according to the believers she can also issue harsh punishments. Dutch researcher Sanne Derks established this after 14 months of research in Bolivia.
29 June 2009

Call for Global Health Policy and Health Systems

The first call within the Global Health Policy and Health Systems programme is currently open for submission of preliminary proposals. The central strategic challenge of the research programme is to contribute to enhancing equitable access to health in quality health systems.
29 June 2009

Five Integrated Programmes awarded

In June 2009 the WOTRO board awarded five Integrated Programmes, each between 500.000 and 700.000 Euro. Each programme consists of three or more (inter)related Ph.D. and/or post-doc projects.
23 June 2009

Great attendance at Information Meeting Cocoon

On June 8th, some seventy researchers, professionals at development organizations and other interested parties attended the Cocoon information meeting in the Hague. All anxious to be informed about the new knowledge, research and innovation programme Conflict and Cooperation over Natural Resources in Developing Countries.
16 June 2009

'We want sex, not AIDS'

Community health organisations working on AIDS prevention projects in Tanzania, frequently fail to understand how children in Tanzania deal with sex. Miranda van Reeuwijk followed a large group of children in order to help change this situation. The children mainly view sex as something from which they can personally benefit, but frequently hide their relationships from parents and health workers. They are more scared of their strict parents than of HIV.
15 June 2009

Call for Participation & Travel Grants Matchmaking CoCooN

Within the framework of the CoCooN Programme - Conflict and Cooperation over Natural Resources in Developing Countries -, the Directorate General of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) will organise matchmaking workshops in Africa, Asia and South America.
12 June 2009

Coconuts, gangsters and rainbow fighters

`Attending school and establishing friendships in former White areas of Cape Town make male youngsters who stay in township areas more vulnerable to violence both as perpetrators and victims'. This is one of the conclusions of Marie Rosenkrantz Lindegaard's dissertation Coconuts, gangsters and rainbow fighters: how male youngsters navigate situations of violence in Cape Town, South Africa.
10 June 2009

Marten Scheffer winner 'Dutch Nobel Prize'

On 9 June 2009, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) announced that Martin Scheffer will receive one of the three NWO/Spinoza Prizes for 2009. Professor Scheffer receives the prize for his pioneering contributions to our understanding critical transitions in complex systems, varying from shifts in shallow lakes to climate change an the collapse of ancient cultures. The prize is the highest Dutch award in science.
26 May 2009

Right to water, right to justice

Water management may suffer from a stuffy image in the Netherlands but in Argentina water management is a hot topic for many people. That is because water has a direct impact on the lives of the indigenous peoples in the Argentinean Patagonia region. Dutch-sponsored researcher Alejandra Moreyra investigated how the Mapuce Indians are fairing in the battle for water and the struggle for their rights. According to her the Argentinean government ensures that the Mapuce cannot pursue their rights.
25 May 2009

International conference on religion

On Monday June 15 and Tuesday June 16, 2009, an international conference on religion will be held in Groningen, The Netherlands. This conference will be hosted by the programme committee of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) research programme 'The Future of the Religious Past'.
19 May 2009

Emotional problems of children in Uganda lead to medicalisation

Emotional problems lead to somatisation and extensive use of medication concluded medical anthropologist Grace Akello-Ayebare, who carried out research into orphan children growing up in Gulu in North Uganda, a region plagued by civil war. Akello-Ayebare was supported by a WOTRO DC-fellowship. She obtained her PhD on Wednesday 20 May.
12 May 2009

The other Iran

What is the true Iran? Is that the Iran of Ahmadinejad, or veiled women or imminent atomic violence? Or is that the Iran of Peyman Jafari? He describes a completely different Iran than that known to us through our TV screens; a highly diverse and bustling Iran that is working hard on its future. Jafari received the Mosaic grant in 2008. His book 'The other Iran' will be presented on 15 May.
11 May 2009

Information meeting CoCooN

The Directorate General of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) will organise an information meeting on the new research programme CoCoon. The meeting will be held in The Hague on Monday, June 8, 2009.
7 May 2009

WOTRO houses secretariat of SANPAD

Since the beginning of May 2009, WOTRO houses the Dutch secretariat of SANPAD, a collaborative research programme which promotes development-related research in South Africa.
28 April 2009

Peruvian stalagmites a new basis for ‘Inconvenient truth’?

Will the Netherlands that is dominated by water succumb to the 'Inconvenient Truth' predicted by Al Gore? Dutch researcher Martin van Breukelen analysed stalagmites from the South American Amazon tributaries in Peru. He used stalagmites to reconstruct climate changes in the past.
22 April 2009

Pre-announcement: up coming matchmaking workshops CoCooN

The Directorate General of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) will organise matchmaking workshops in The Netherlands, Africa, Asia and South America, around the 2009 summer period.
8 April 2009

New Research Programme Conflict and Cooperation over Natural Resources in Developing Countries

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands have joined forces to launch a new research programme: the Conflict and Cooperation over Natural Resources programme. The first call is scheduled for autumn 2009.
8 April 2009

Aad Kessler winner WOTRO communication award

At the occasion of the WOTRO Research Day, April 7th 2009, researcher Aad Kessler and his research team received the WOTRO Communication Award for their innovative communication strategy towards policy-makers: Using video and computer games
8 April 2009

Researchers, practitioners and policy makers came together at WOTRO Research Day

27 March 2009

Permanently high level of ambition needed to tackle constraints in education and science

On Wednesday 25 March the Dutch Cabinet presented its declaration about the social agreements and the measures to be taken to ensure that the Netherlands emerges stronger from the current economic crisis. KNAW, NWO and VSNU are happy that the key words education, innovation and knowledge are in the investment package, yet at the same time they are concerned about the lack of ambition.
9 March 2009

New subsidy scheme 'Global Sustainable Biomass Fund'

The Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation has opened a subsidy scheme focusing on sustainability issues in biomass production in developing countries, called Global Sustainable Biomass Fund.
18 February 2009

WOTRO Research Day 2009

We are delighted to invite you to the WOTRO Research Day 2009 held at the University Hall in Utrecht on Tuesday 7 April 2009. All researchers, professionals at development organisations, and policy makers interested in science for global development are invited to participate.
4 February 2009

Population & Development: French call open for Dutch & African applications

A funding scheme related to the WOTRO-Hewlett PopDev programme has just been launched in France. Research teams from Africa or from any European Union (EU) member state are eligible and invited to apply.
26 January 2009

TANAP Final Meeting

On Thursday February 5, the programme ‘Towards a New Age of Partnership’ (TANAP), will organize its final meeting in the historical museum of The Hague (Haags Historisch Museum). You are kindly invited to attend this meeting.
26 January 2009

WOTRO Communication Award

The Board of WOTRO kindly invites all WOTRO-financed researchers to compete in the contest for the best research communication activity. The WOTRO communication award is intended to encourage interaction between science and society and to promote WOTRO research in the media and among stakeholders.
13 January 2009

Voracious sponges save reef

Tropical oceans are known as the deserts of the sea. And yet this unlikely environment is the very place where the rich and fertile coral reef grows. Dutch researcher Jasper de Goeij investigated how caves in the coral reef ensure the reef’s continued existence. Although sponges in these coral caves take up a lot of dissolved organic material, they scarcely grow. However, they do discard a lot of cells that in turn provide food for the organisms on the reef.
19 November 2008

New programme on Global Food Systems

WOTRO is currently developing a new research programme Global Food Systems that focuses on the worldwide connection and inter-dependency of food supply, aims at sustainable solutions in the food chain, develops new technologies in collaboration with (small-scale) producers and consumers and suggests necessary institutional reforms.
10 November 2008

Social safety net for aids orphans scarcely works

South African child-headed households receive little support from family and relief organisations.
27 October 2008

Improved poverty analysis: Dutch researcher develops early warning system for food shortages

During her doctoral research in Uganda, Nicky Pouw developed a method to analyse relatively simple material and immaterial possessions that can serve, for example, as an early warning system for food shortages.
27 October 2008

Gene against bacterial attack unravelled

Dutch researcher Joost Wiersinga from AMC Medical Centre in Amsterdam has unravelled a genetic defence mechanism against the lethal bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei. The research is the next step towards a vaccine against this bacterium suitable for bioweapons.
14 October 2008

Turtle doves commit adultery: Bastard dove with strange coo can still find a mate

Dutch biologist Paula den Hartog has shown that bastard doves can fend for themselves. Despite having a strange coo, hybrid offspring are still able to defend their territory. This is necessary for further reproduction.
7 October 2008

1 Million for research on reproductive health and economic development

Two research initiatives have been awarded following the joint WOTRO-Hewlett call for research on population, reproductive health and economic development.
6 October 2008

93 Preliminary Applications Conflict and Security received

The call for proposals on the theme Conflict and Security is closed and 93 preliminary applications were received. Submission of preliminary applications was compulsory.
1 October 2008

Vulnerable careers in Cusco

Each day in the centre of the Peruvian town Cusco, hundreds of street vendors try to sell their souvenirs to tourists. Griet Steel investigated these street vendors and how the growth in tourism is affecting their existence.
17 September 2008

Announcement Exchange Visit Grants (India-The Netherlands)

The Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) invite applications from established scholars for funded academic visits of 1-3 months to recognized research organisations in either country to undertake clearly specified research collaborations.
17 September 2008

9 October 2008: Annual Day of the Netherlands Platform for Global Health Policy and Health Systems Research

The Netherlands Platform for Global Health Policy and Health Systems Research kindly invites you to participate at its first Annual Day, to be held on October 9th 2008 at the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in Amsterdam. The theme of the Annual Day 2008 day will be: Access to quality reproductive health services in fragile states; evidence, experience and the policy agenda.
16 September 2008

NWO modifies the Innovational Research Incentives Scheme; more opportunities for multidisciplinary proposals

NWO has modified the Veni, Vidi and Vici subsidy programmes. There will be a greater focus on knowledge utilisation, more opportunities for multidisciplinary proposals and proposals from different disciplines will be compared with each other.
16 September 2008

Living on the margins; illness and healthcare among Peruvian migrants in Chile

WOTRO supported researcher Lorena Carrasco has analyzed the relationship between migration and health, in the context of Peruvian migrants in Chile. The aim of the study was to understand the effects of exclusion and discrimination on the mental and reproductive health of migrants in Chile.
13 August 2008

New awards within the Mosaic programme

NWO has recently granted twenty-four research applications within the Mozaïek/Mosaic programme, three of which are related to the research field of WOTRO. The programme is designed to attract more ethnic minority graduates into academic research.
5 August 2008

Agriculture beyond Food

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) are about to jointly set up an Agriculture beyond Food research programme focused on Indonesia. The initial budget is 2.5 Million Euro for five years. This programme is one of the activities within the framework of the NWO theme Sustainable Earth and the SPIN-programme of the KNAW.
3 July 2008

Advice on "Global Health Policy and Health Systems" research

Early June 2007 the ‘Netherlands Platform for Global Health Policy and Health Systems Research’ (Platform) has presented its final advice about the objectives, content, planning and subsidy-instrument for an 8.5 million euros research programme on global health policy and health systems research to the funding institutions: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs /DGIS and WOTRO Science for Development.
2 July 2008

Giving nature a helping hand

Dutch ecologist Marijke van Kuijk has studied the regeneration of the tropical forest in Vietnam. Abandoned agricultural land does regenerate to tropical forest, but only slowly.
1 July 2008

Integrated Programmes Call 2008-2009

A new call for Integrated Programmes is now open for applications. The deadline for submission is 17 September 2008, 16.00 hrs.
1 July 2008

Four new Integrated Programmes awarded

As a result of the call for 2007-2008, the WOTRO board awarded four Integrated Programmes.
9 June 2008

Parasitoid turns its host into a bodyguard

In a recent publication in the new electronic journal PLoS One, a research team from University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and the Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil, led by Arne Janssen, now offer evidence that behavioural changes of a host are beneficial to the parasite in the field.
9 June 2008

Partners in peace

International organisations frequently have high expectations about their interventions.
6 June 2008

NWO-theme Responsible Innovation officially launched

The kick-off meeting of the new NWO thematic programme Responsible Innovation, An Exploration of Ethical and Societal Issues (MVI) was held in the Nutshuis in The Hague on Thursday 5 June 2008.
5 June 2008

Local elite rule over small villages in Indonesia

Dutch-sponsored researcher Y. Argo Twikromo has investigated how the local ruling elite have retained their political control over the local population.
3 June 2008

Sheep Resources of Ethiopia: Genetic Diversity and Breeding Strategy

Researcher Solomon Gebremichael presents an improved method for characterization of sheep resources.
2 June 2008

Kick-off conference NWO theme Conflict and Security

At Thursday 29th of May the kick-off conference of the NWO- theme Conflict and Security took place at the Peace Palace in The Hague.
23 May 2008

Minister Cramer Commits to Sustainable Earth

On 22 May, Minister Cramer (VROM) signed the National Partnership for a Sustainable Earth (NPDA). The partnership aims for more cooperation between the large number of parties involved in research into the human effects on climate, the environment and ecosystems.
20 May 2008

Flying Visit by Minister Koenders to MDG-profs Platform at WUR

On his way from Zimbabwe to The Hague, Dutch Minister Koenders of Development Cooperation made a stop-over in Wageningen to exchange ideas with the MDG-profs Platform on the new campus of Wageningen University and Research Centre on 19 May.
9 May 2008

Nitrogen retained through loss

The nitrogen cycle plays a major role in seagrass fields. Dutch researcher Arie Vonk studied the nitrogen dynamics of seagrasses in Indonesia.
28 April 2008

Opening Event for ‘Responsible Innovation’

On 5 June the research programme ‘Responsible Innovation’ will be officially opened. This programme is aimed at proactive research into ethical and societal aspects of technological developments. It is explicitly not only limited to Dutch innovation but aimed at technological innovation processes in other countries or parts of the world, particularly in developing countries. Close cooperation between a multidisciplinary team of researchers is crucial in this programme.
24 April 2008

There is no such thing as a ‘true’ Indian

More and more mayors in Guatemala have Indian roots. Researcher Elisabet Rasch studied the importance of this development, and discovered that creating a multicultural democracy involves much more than simply electing Indian mayors and presidents. The difficulties stem from the wide range of different interpretations of identity: there is no such thing as a ‘true’ Indian. Rasch will receive her doctorate from Utrecht University on 9 May.
20 April 2008

IDPAD support for publications on ICT in India

While much has been written on the growth of information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services in India, little is known about the people who work in these industries, about the nature of the work itself, and about its wider social and cultural ramifications. The Indo-Dutch Programme on Alternatives in Development (IDPAD) supported two publications on this subject: In an Outpost of the Global Economy and ICTs and Indian Social Change.
14 April 2008

29 May: Kick-off conference NWO theme 'Conflict and Security'

The kick-off conference of the Conflict and Security research theme addresses the social and scientific urgency of this theme. This conference is an absolute must for everyone who is involved in or interested in research into conflicts. It will be held on Thursday afternoon 29 May in the Peace Palace, The Hague.
7 April 2008

WOTRO researcher Gómez receives distinction for PhD

On April 2nd, Georgina Gómez defended her PhD paper, receiving a number of critical and incisive questions from the review panel. She however clearly responded well as, after private deliberation by the panel, was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies with distinction!
3 March 2008

Conference Knowledge on the Move New Beginning

"To me this conference marks a new beginning in research policy for development. Together we can find ways to really integrate the Northern and Southern perspective, to strengthen each other’s research agendas mutually in order to come to more effective development strategies,” according to Minister Koenders during the final session of the three-day conference Knowledge on the Move (26 - 28 February).
28 February 2008

New control methods for parasitic weeds

Parasitic weeds parasitise cereals and other economically important crops in many regions of the world and can cause large yield losses. To develop new control methods the germination stimulants may be suitable targets. WOTRO-researcher Zhongkui Sun studied the germination stimulants of maize and the model plants Arabidopsis and rice. For his research project Biosynthesis of germination stimulants of parasitic weeds Striga and Orobanche he received a PhD from Wageningen University on 26 February 2008.
11 February 2008

First Awards within Programme Cultural Dynamics

On 4 February 2008 the first applications within the research programme Cultural Dynamics were granted. A total number of eight research projects, three of which are related to the research field of WOTRO, will contribute to solutions for societal issues in which culture and the dynamics of cultural heritage play a central role.
28 January 2008

What causes degradation of tea plantations?

In the past, several hypotheses have been postulated, but the cause of tea plantation degradation largely remains unclear. Researcher David Murathe Kamau adressed the big question, is it the tea bush that degrades, the soil or both?
17 January 2008

Special Integrated Programme call

The next call for Integrated Programmes(deadline mid-April 2008), will be specifically directed at the 'open' competition.
15 January 2008

Better diagnosis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis thanks to new method

Researcher Wendy van der Meide developed and evaluated new methods to better diagnose and monitor the treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.
15 January 2008

Indian women giving up their children for adoption affected by lack of information

Single, pregnant women in Southern India who decide to give up their children for adoption, often make this decision because adoption is presented to them as the best and even the only option. Pien Bos received a PhD with distinction for her research into the decision making process of these single mothers.
5 January 2008

Four new Integrated Programmes awarded

With the total amount of 2,500,000 EURO the WOTRO board awarded four Integrated Programmes in 2007.
21 December 2007

Conference "Knowledge on the Move" 26 to 28 February 2008

WOTRO Science for Global Development, Nuffic and the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) jointly organise the international conference "Knowledge on the Move: Research for development in a globalising world". This conference will shed light on the changing relationship between development cooperation and international research collaboration.
18 December 2007

Devaluation of hydrological role of cloud forests

WOTRO researcher Friso Holwerda pleas for a re-evaluation of the idea that the Mexican broad-leaved cloud forests produce higher water yields than other forest types due to contributions by fog interception.
10 December 2007

MDG-Profs Platform meets Dutch Minister of Development Cooperation

On 3 December 2007 the MDG-Profs Platform met with Dutch Minister Koenders to discuss the Platform’s plans to make better use of Dutch research institutions and higher education in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
7 December 2007

Women, Peace and Security

Together with the Dutch government and thirteen Dutch social organisations, NWO divisions MaGW and WOTRO have become partners in the Dutch National Action Plan 1325.
26 November 2007

Young and invisible: African domestic workers in Yemen

Filmmaker Arda Nederveen and anthropologist Marina de Regt have made a short documentary about Ethiopian and Somalian women who work as domestic workers in Yemen.
8 October 2007

CALL released for Population and Development

The new research programme 'PopDev' will help to illuminate how expanding access to sexual and reproductive health information and services contributes to reducing poverty and improving equitable economic development.
4 October 2007

Freshwater crabs in Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

4 October 2007

Habitat as a productive asset in two Caribbean cities

4 October 2007

Photographs wanted!

4 October 2007

Interrupting malaria transmission

9 July 2007

Henk Molenaar executive director WOTRO Science for Global Development

On 16 July 2007 Henk Molenaar will be appointed the new executive director of WOTRO Science for Global Development.
9 July 2007

Two new programmes financed by NACCAP

Last week, the WOTRO programme NACCAP signed two contracts with EDCTP for the joint funding of two new research programmes in Africa.
4 July 2007

Investment in infrastructure gets Uganda up and running

Investment by the Ugandan government in physical infrastructure will pay itself back says Dutch-sponsored researcher Aldret Albert Musisi. Each shilling that the government invests in infrastructure will yield a return of 1.2 to 3.6 shillings. This seems to be substantial enough to counteract the symptoms of the so-called 'Dutch disease': the phenomenon where currency value rises and the economic position of a country deteriorates due to investments with development funds.
30 June 2007

Dutch ministries and knowledge institutes agree on Science for Development

The Dutch knowledge institutes NWO/WOTRO, KNAW, VSNU and SAIL and the ministries of OCW and Foreign Affairs met on 30 June at Schokland where they signed an agreement concerning accelerated and combined efforts to contribute to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
11 June 2007

Perpetrators and victims work together to rebuild Mozambique

Mozambiquians who fought each other for years in a bloody civil war are processing their traumas in a unique manner by rebuilding their country together.
7 May 2007

Tropical farmer still has a lot to learn

Food producers in developing countries still need to make many improvements before they can compete effectively on the world market.
16 April 2007

Monteiro new member of WOTRO Executive Board

The governing board of NWO has appointed Manuela Monteiro as new member of the Executive Board of WOTRO as of April 1, 2007.
13 April 2007

Policy Advisory Committee

Recently, a new Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) has been established. The primary task of the PAC is to advise the board of WOTRO on its strategic policy and in particular on the approach to encourage the (societal) impact of research financed by WOTRO.
13 April 2007

ERC Starting Independent Research Grant

The European Research Council (ERC) announced its first call for proposals for the ERC Starting Independent Research Grants. These grants aim to support young, up-and-coming researchers who are about to establish or consolidate an independent research team or to start conducting independent research in Europe.
13 April 2007

Integrated Programmes

Integrated Programme grants are aimed at encouraging high quality interdisciplinary collaborative research in developing countries. Special attention is given to increasing the relevance and societal impact of research for development and the societal use of research results, especially by emphasizing multi-stakeholder collaboration.
13 April 2007

The Broker

The new magazine The Broker (´connecting worlds of knowledge´) offers knowledge of global development issues. Through up-to-date articles written by independent journalists, The Broker aims to be a reliable source of information for all those concerned with development and globalisation, especially in the fields of economics, human security, governance, science and technology.
13 April 2007

Cultural Dynamics Programme open for applications

The focus of this research programme is on the formation of cultural heritage as a dynamic, societal process which is crucial for (re)defining identities of individuals, groups and nations. A thorough understanding of this complex process of cultural heritage formation in the Western and non-Western world contributes to solving problems related to social cohesion.
13 April 2007

Knowledge Sharing for Development

On 21 March WOTRO hosted a workshop on Knowledge and Information Sharing Strategies in Dutch Development Organizations organised by Europe's Forum on International Cooperation (EUFORIC). The presentations focused on the role of partnerships and cross-cutting initiatives in bridging knowledge divides and on mobilizing knowledge at the interface of science, policy and practice.
13 April 2007

Stakeholders meeting TB Vaccines

In the new strategy of EDCTP capacity strengthening is combined with R&D within one grant. For this, a product oriented approach, combined with capacity strengthening activities within the same partnership will be developed in close cooperation with different stakeholders. A stakeholders meeting will therefore be held for each topic identified in the EDCTP Joint Programme including TB vaccines, malaria vaccines, HIV treatment and microbicides.
10 April 2007

Monteiro new member of WOTRO Executive Board

The governing board of NWO has appointed Manuela Monteiro as new member of the Executive Board of WOTRO as of April 1, 2007.
10 April 2007

Fertilizers help Zimbabwean farmers to increase crop yields

A little bit of manure and fertilizer can considerably improve the perspectives of Zimbabwean smallholder farmers in semi-arid regions. Nitrogen availability was found to be the factor that most limited farmers’ efforts to increase cereal yields. Dutch-sponsored researcher Bongani Ncube demonstrated this after four years of research on smallholder farms of her home country.
23 March 2007

Microfossils unravel climate history of tropical Africa

Scientists from the NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research obtained for the first time a detailed temperature record for tropical central Africa over the past 25,000 years. The results have been published in this week’s issue of ‘Science’
23 March 2007

Van Loosdrecht appointed member of WOTRO Executive Board

The governing board of NWO has appointed Prof. Mark van Loosdrecht as new member of the Executive Board of WOTRO as of January 1, 2007.
20 March 2007

Multiple malaria infection inhibits spread of parasite

People who are frequently infected with malaria parasites can develop immunity against the gametocyte, the infectious stage. This immunity inhibits the spread of the parasite. Dutch researcher Mike van der Kolk discovered this during his research into malaria transmission.
20 March 2007

Cultural Dynamics Programme open for applications

Preproposals for the programme Cultural Dynamics can be submitted from 10 April until the deadline of 22 May 2007 at 12:00 hours. At the end of June 2007, the Cultural Dynamics' Programme Committee will announce which preproposals have received a positive recommendation for further elaboration. The call for proposals and the programme brochure are available on the website in Dutch. The English version will appear as soon as possible and will be announced through the WOTRO Newsflash. You can subscribe by mailing Wendy Steentjes, steentjes@nwo.nl.
20 March 2007

NICIS Institute and WOTRO sign Letter of Intent on sustainable urban development

NICIS Institute, dedicated to Urban Research and Practice, and WOTRO intend to combine their expertise to strengthen sustainable urban development in Asia and Africa. The two organisations have signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate on knowledge exchange and development (research) with partners in India, China, Indonesia, Kenya and South Africa.
25 January 2007

Call for preliminary proposals Integrated Programme scheme

WOTRO calls for preliminary proposals for the Integrated Programmes scheme. Please consult the subsidy guide page for detailed information and the application forms.
Deadline for submission of preliminary proposals:
April 3, 2007, 16.00 p.m.
14 December 2006

New MOU between ICSSR (India) and NWO (the Netherlands)

14 December 2006

IDPAD End Symposia in Hyderabad and The Hague

7 December 2006

Innovative interaction good for economic growth

New technologies only contribute to the economic growth of (developing) countries if they are widely used within the economy. The diffusion of technologies and innovation in economic sectors strongly depends, however, on the relationship between companies in the same industrial column, says Dutch-sponsored researcher Mamata Parhi. She investigated which mechanisms play a role in the implementation of automated production techniques in the Indian automobile industry.
24 November 2006

IDPAD End-phase Symposium

31 October 2006

Recalcitrant seeds become tolerant

Dutch-sponsored researcher Oblé Neya has developed techniques to extend the lifespan of dried seeds from tropical trees. That is good news for the reforestation of the Sahel countries. According to Neya these seeds are more tolerant to desiccation than was previously thought.
31 October 2006

More gum good for Sudan

Expanding the production and export of gum arabic will greatly benefit the farmers, environment and the economy in Sudan in the longer term. Yet this will only be the case if the current political instability is resolved, as this expansion will only be profitable if there is a considerable increase in the sale price and government support. Sudan will also have to cooperate more with competitors in the region. These are the conclusions of Dutch-sponsored researcher Afaf Rahim following her study of gum production in the Sahel.
19 September 2006

India’s Development: Even or uneven?

21 August 2006

Minister endorses WOTRO strategy

9 August 2006

Call for Applications for the 2007 UNESCO-L’ORÉAL Fellowships

29 June 2006

New WOTRO chair

20 June 2006

Adaptations in upcoming call Integrated Programmes

14 June 2006

Two new integrated programmes awarded

14 June 2006

Awarded Capacity Development Grants #2

29 May 2006

Poverty in Africa: Migration can help

Poor Africans often choose to move. Households that can afford to send someone to Europe, mostly become wealthier. Households with people who move within Africa, experience less stress because there are less mouths to feed. These are the conclusions of Dutch researcher Fleur Wouterse. She made a quantitative analysis of the reasons for and consequences of migration for farming households in four villages in the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso.
29 May 2006

Land use mapped

Dutch researcher Koen Overmars has used a combination of analysis methods to gain more insight into how land use is changing in San Mariano on the Philippines. His inventory of changes in the future land use can be used to analyse the ecological functions of the landscape, such as biodiversity, and to evaluate policy measures for nature conservation.
29 May 2006

Witchcraft can make you rich in Cameroon

Young, poor Cameroonians have succeeded in amassing incredible fortunes with the help of occult swindling practices. With their expensive cars and flashy clothes they have become the role models for the new generation. Dutch-sponsored researcher Basile Ndjio believes that by permitting or even promoting these practices, the government of Cameroon is hindering its country’s development.
9 May 2006

West-African car dealers bet on a business jackpot

Dutch researcher Joost Beuving concludes that the gambling behaviour of car traders has played an important role in the rapid growth of the West African second-hand car trade. This uneconomic behaviour emerges from the belief that they will one day make a fortune.
9 May 2006

Kalashnikovs and marginalised youth in Sierra Leone

Dutch researcher Krijn Peters discovered that the war in Sierra Leone, and in particular the active participation of young people in this, was due to a lack of training and employment perspectives for young people. Moreover, the youth were not involved in society, but ignored, exploited and excluded. The marginalised and exploited youth subsequently turned against society in an extremely violent manner.
9 May 2006

Choosy females make colourful males

Female fish prefer brightly coloured males because they are easier to see and are in better shape concludes Dutch researcher Martine Maan following her study of fish speciation in the East African Lakes. Environmental variation subsequently leads to differences in preference and eventually to speciation.
27 April 2006

ESF ConGen: deadline 15 May 2006

27 April 2006

5th UnitingStreams Symposium: June 1st 2006

27 April 2006

DPRN/UU Regional Expert Meeting: 19 May 2006

30 March 2006

Rubicon

Dr Karen Witsenburg received a Rubicon award for her project ‘Fight, negotiate or resign? Ownership of communal water resources in Kenya's borderlands’. She will carry out her project at Moi University (Eldoret, Kenia).
24 March 2006

Awarded DC Fellowships

24 March 2006

Awarded subsidies NACCAP programme

NACCAP is the Netherlands-African partnership for capacity development and clinical interventions against poverty-related diseases. NACCAP´s first call for clinical research and capacity strengthening programmes resulted in three awarded programmes.
24 March 2006

Vici subsidy for Harro Bouwmeester

24 March 2006

Negotiating Life: rituals of death

In his dissertation 'Negotiating Life', WOTRO-sponsored researcher Erik de Maaker shows that people's participation in rituals of death is of structural importance to the Indian Garo society. His dissertation analyzes the funerals of the Garo, a matrilineal hill society of the Indian State of Meghalaya.
24 March 2006

Awarded Capacity Development grants

15 March 2006

Launch NWO strategy on May 22nd

28 February 2006

New version strategic plan and theme reports discussed

The themes for the new WOTRO strategy have been scientifically drafted by four expert groups. The reports of the expert groups and a new (semi-final) version of the WOTRO strategic plan are now available online.
14 February 2006

Settlement Wars in Turkish Kurdistan

Dutch researcher Joost Jongerden investigated the resettlement politics in Kurdistan (Turkey). He discovered that there was a fundamental conflict between government agencies as to the most desirable use of public space in a rural areas. This space was cleared by the Turkish army in the 1990s, during its fight against the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK).
8 February 2006

Two main lines

In the new strategic period WOTRO will finance research along two main lines, focusing on research with relevance for problems in developing countries in a broad sense
8 February 2006

Four new WOTRO themes

The WOTRO themes for the new strategy are labelled Poverty and Hunger, Health, Sustainable Environment and Global relationships.The themes are currently being drawn up by four expert groups.
23 November 2005

Changes in WOTRO calls in 2006

20 October 2005

Discussion meeting on WOTRO's new strategy

The political millennium development goals must not directly determine WOTRO's research agenda. But they can serve as a source of inspiration. That is what senior researchers said during a consultation afternoon about WOTRO's new strategy held on Tuesday 20 September 2005 in the Jaarbeurs Conference Centre in Utrecht.
7 October 2005

Dreams prepare your emotions

Dreams can help in coming to terms with major events and in taking difficult decisions in life. This is what Dutch-sponsored researcher Elizabeth Mohkamsing-den Boer concluded after her research into the function of dreams in indigenous Surinamese and Australian tribes.
7 October 2005

Chilean success defies Bush doctrine

President Bush uses Chili as a shining example of political and economic freedom. The free market economy, introduced by Pinochet, is said to have pulled the country out of the economic malaise it experienced in the 1970s. However, Dutch researcher Lucian Peppelenbos discovered that centuries-old paternalistic relationships form the basis of this success.
28 September 2005

Innovatie Event

13 September 2005

How the Internet influenced Indonesian politics

How does the Internet influence public opinion about political movements? Dutch-sponsored researcher Merlyna Lim investigated the role the Internet played in the Indonesian reformation of 1998.
13 September 2005

Acid water in East Java threatens biodiversity and local welfare

She went to investigate the local ecology. Yet during her field work on East Java, Dutch biologist Ansje Löhr became increasingly involved with the local residents, whose harvests failed and whose health was deteriorating due to extremely acidified and polluted river water. Löhr has recently received a second grant to help the Javanese population.
25 July 2005

WOTRO Strategy consultation

The Board of WOTRO kindly invites the scientific community affiliated to WOTRO to comment on WOTRO’s plans for the future as outlined in a discussion paper
20 July 2005

Three new Integrated Programmes awarded

20 July 2005

The awarded programmes

2 June 2005

WOTRO research in Sharing Point database

23 May 2005

WOTRO News #5

12 April 2005

Protolanguage Amazon inhabitants reconstructed

Maku is a family of languages spoken by Indians in the Amazon rainforest. Dutch-funded researcher Valteir Martins has reconstructed the sound structure of an ancestral Maku language and has demonstrated that the Maku languages are genetically related to the Arawak languages.
15 March 2005

Fatter pigs due to cooling

Dutch-sponsored researcher Thuy Huynh has discovered that pigs get stressed if they become too warm. They go and lie on the slatted floor, wallow in urine, eat less and grow less as well. With cooling systems, such as floor cooling, sprinkling or water baths, the pigs remain cool and grow better.
15 February 2005

Indigenous initiation ceremonies in Catholic Papua community

Indigenous initiation ceremonies and Catholicism can happily coexist according to Dutch researcher Louise Thoonen. During her anthropological research she investigated how individual Papuan women experience and use initiation ceremonies and Catholicism to form their own identity.
15 February 2005

Witchcraft, God's punishment or just malaria in West Papua?

Who has made Mama Raja ill? Was it witchcraft, evil spirits, malaria or God's punishment? Dutch researcher Ien Courtens discovered that in the interior of the Bird’s Head of West Papua, the presumed cause of the illness determines the choice of treatment.
16 January 2005

WOTR0’ s Executive Board extended and renewed

15 December 2004

Four awards for top publications on tropical research

Four researchers received an award for an outstanding publication
15 December 2004

Pre-Announcement of WOTRO calls in 2005

14 December 2004

WOTRO Travel Grants - change in procedure

25 November 2004

No call for Individual Projects in 2005

15 October 2004

Four new Integrated Programmes awarded

11 August 2004

Win € 2500 with an excellent publication

16 March 2004

Salt-tolerant rice requires careful selection

Research in the Netherlands has revealed that under sub-otpimal conditions, the best way for rice breeders to improve the rice harvest is to produce varieties whose performance is not fertiliser dependent.
2 March 2004

Indigenous sheep better for productivity

Research sponsored by the Netherlands has revealed that the crossing of indigenous breeds is the best way for herdsman to improve the production of sheep and goats in the tropics.
27 January 2004

Two centres for infectious diseases established

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a so-called centre subsidy to two research centres which are currently being established.
13 November 2003

Four Capacity Building Grants awarded in second round 2002

Four Capacity Building Grants awarded in second round 2002
10 November 2003

Call water programme

Call for the new programme ´water´ is open.
Preliminary proposals are to be submitted to no later than
Februari 2 2004, 16.00 p.m.
6 August 2003

Integrated programmes awarded

27 May 2003

Six Capacity Building Grants awarded

Toekenning cap.build.grants van april 2003
25 February 2003

TANAP workshop in Bangkok

On the 24th, 25th en 26th of october the second TANAP-workshop takes place in Bangkok.
19 February 2003

23 DC Fellowships awarded

DC Fellowships awarded december 2002
19 February 2003

20 Individual Projects awarded

In december 2002, the WOTRO Board decided to award the following projects.
14 February 2003

Larger nuts end up further from tree

Trees are better off if they produce large nuts. This is revealed in research by Patrick Jansen from Wageningen University. Scatterhoarding rodents appear to prefer burying larger nuts for later. The bigger the nut, the further it is buried from the tree and the more frequently it is forgotten.
28 November 2002

New Member Advisory Committee Capacity Building Grants

Since November 2002, dr. Kees Blokland joins the Advisory Committee for capacity building grants.
4 October 2002

Combination HIV/malaria increase complications pregnancy

Women with a combined HIV/malaria infection more frequently experience complications during pregnancy than healthy women. This is revealed in research from Kenya. However, to their surprise the researchers established that HIV-infected mothers with a mild malaria infection less frequently transmit the HIV infection to their children than HIV-infected mothers without malaria.