Knowledge Sharing for Sustainable Development Through Biodiversity Conservation in the Mesoamerican Region

According to the author of this 5-page paper, "one of the biggest tasks facing those addressing the challenge of sustainable development, both in developed and developing countries, is the need to generate the capacity to apply science and technology to achieve this goal. With this in mind, in 2001 the Mesoamerican Network of Biotic Resources (REDMESO) was established. This organization brings together 23 public universities from Mexico and the eight Central American countries (Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama). The network seeks to create synergies among local scientists in order to conduct research projects and develop technologies designed to support the sustainable management of ecosystems, having respect for both cultural and biological diversity.


REDMESO also endeavours to train professionals in research at a high scientific and technical level in order to improve the capacities of researchers in the region to respond to the needs of ecosystems and society. One of the main projects of REDMESO is the development of computer mediated collaboration and communication structures operated through ten regional thematic virtual laboratories in the areas of Systematic and Biogeography, Ecology, Reproductive Biology, Integrated Resources Management, Conservation Biology, Geographic Information Systems, Contamination and Toxicology, Biotechnology, Ethnobiology, and Environmental Education."


Because, according to this document, the Mesoamerican region is a biodiversity "hotspot", it is a focal point for research and advocacy on sustainability. It is, as stated here, "strategic for the future development of the region, specially in an era considered by many as the golden age of biology due to the advances and economic perspectives of disciplines, such as those related to the biomedical sciences and biotechnology in general." For that reason the document advocates for strategic planning and a high level of communication among researchers: "If we as a region, are to avoid being marginalized form the present biotechnological revolution (as was the case of previous industrial, technological and informatics revolutions) and to stop present natural resources depletion, we need to implement strategies that will allow us to strengthen the human resources we have, and to optimize the use of our infrastructure. In the same manner, we need to prepare the researchers required for generating new knowledge, as well as the professionals required for initiative implementation and monitoring."


To that end, REDMESO addresses the issues of:

1. Knowledge generation: standardisation and systematisation, which consists of the generation of new knowledge related to biodiversity, its status, present and potential uses, as well as mechanisms for information storing and sharing.
2. Model generation and biotechnology development: development of regional natural resources models and sharing of sustainable resources management and new biotechnological techniques for product development.
3. Promotion of development and technology transfer: establishment of a regional structure to make the generated information useful for natural resources management, and to serve as a link between academia, governments, the private sector, and society as a whole.

The REDMESO Virtual Unit (RVU) is the information exchange platform whose objective is to promote training, dissemination, assessment, strengthening, and development of institutions and members of
the REDMESO by means of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The RVU has four main focus areas:

1. Education Technology
2. Computer Support Systems
3. Technological Development, Web Design, and Multimedia
4. Strategic Alliances

In the future, REDMESO intends to extend its geographic reach to academic institutions throughout the Caribbean and South America, work through regional laboratories, offer graduate academic programmes, promote publication of member-generated information in scientific journals, and develop and provide enhanced technologies to the social and industrial sectors of civil society.