Harnessing Nature's Wisdom for Sustainable Development in the Global South

The rationale behind establishing a biotechnology institute in the Global South is elegantly straightforward: nature, through eons of evolution, has conceived solutions ideally suited to our biological world. By leveraging these genes, processes, and organisms in developing technologies, we can address pressing environmental, industrial, and health challenges in a truly sustainable manner. In essence, biotechnology serves as a vital tool for sustainable development, making its presence particularly crucial in regions of the world striving to overcome developmental lags.  

However, nature's efficiency extends beyond the cellular and tissue levels; it thrives within ecological systems built upon the principles of adaptability, resilience, and resistance. In a region where economic stability has historically been fragile, the minds behind the creation of UNU-BIOLAC made a prescient decision to establish an Endowment Fund as the cornerstone of its academic activities' financial sustainability.  

The initial endowment of US$7 million, generously provided by Venezuela, has served as the bedrock for 37 years of impactful work. This single contribution has financed 376 advanced technology courses, attended by over 10,000 students across Latin America and the Caribbean, and supported 452 short research and development stays in various countries. Remarkably, the program has operated and flourished without additional capital injections. This enduring success is rooted not only in the adaptable design of the academic program, but also in a steadfast commitment to efficiency. A lean administrative team, leveraging the central administrative systems of the United Nations University (UNU) and in-kind support from the Venezuelan government, has enabled us to progressively increase the allocation of our budget to academic endeavors, rising from 75% in 2015 to an impressive 85% in 2025. Currently, with only 15% allocated to administrative costs, most of our resources are directly channeled into biotechnology research and education. This robust and efficient model has allowed UNU-BIOLAC to successfully navigate a global pandemic and the current climate of global uncertainty.  

Of course, the other indispensable pillar of our program lies in the vast network of universities and scientific institutions across the region. These entities provide the essential foundation upon which the outcomes of our investment are built and amplified. Just as it happens in nature, Latin American and Caribbean academic institutions are not homogenous, and favorable local conditions for scientific production are unevenly distributed in time and space along the continent. Our model of funding has allowed the Programme to effectively navigate this changing socio-ecological patchwork of conditions to achieve consistent results that can go beyond local crises.  

The products of our academic activities are specifically geared towards generating practical solutions for sustainable development. These include but are not limited to enhancing agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impact, improving animal productivity, developing diagnostics and therapies for neglected and non-communicable diseases, pioneering novel antimicrobial strategies to overcome resistance, and fostering the creation of new industrial technologies, including wastewater treatment and the development of sustainable fuels. Our work is completely aligned with the UN's mission towards sustainable development.  

UNU-BIOLAC's overarching vision is to empower Latin America and the Caribbean to value their scientists and knowledge creators. We strive to ensure that the knowledge generated is directly applied to overcome underdevelopment sustainably and that this is achieved through collaborative networks spanning the continent. This approach harnesses and gives value to the vast natural and human diversity inherent to the region. Investing in the UNU-BIOLAC Endowment Fund represents a direct, efficient, and enduring contribution to the advancement of the Global South.