Challenges

Brazil and Ecuador are both megadiverse countries, with some of the richest and most important ecosystems in the world. They face significant threats as a result of overexploitation of natural resources, habitat loss and climate change. In the 21st?Century, these countries consider biodiversity to be an important tool for sustainable development. Research is essential to improving the availability, collection and management of data through collaboration and knowledge-sharing, which, in turn, can support the integrated valuation and sustainable management of ecosystems. It is therefore necessary to strengthen the capacities of the National Institute of Biodiversity [Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad] (INABIO) in Ecuador and improve regional cooperation to promote biodiversity conservation.

Toward a Solution

Brazil and Germany have created effective mechanisms for transferring knowledge through their research institutes. The objective of the trilateral initiative between Brazil, Ecuador and Germany was to strengthen the technical and scientific capacities of INABIO, in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target?17.8. Although INABIO was created in 2014, it began operating with technical and financial autonomy in 2017.

As a result of the initiative, strategic instruments were created to better position INABIO, scientific and technical trainings were held to develop tools for researching and managing natural heritage, and computer systems were developed to create biodiversity databases. Contributions have been made to several of the SDGs, particularly SDG?5 on gender equality, SDG?12 on responsible consumption and production, SDG?15 on life on land and SDG?17 on partnerships.

In Brazil, the Institute Chico Mendes for the Conservation of Biodiversity, the National Institute for Amazonian Research and the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden have extensive experience in managing flora and fauna collections, developing protocols and methodologies for biodiversity and creating computer systems. Institutions in Ecuador are still strengthening this knowledge (SDG?targets?17.8, 17.17 and 17.18), and the support provided by Brazil has been invaluable. The Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, one of the most important natural history museums in Germany, provided financial support and advised on germ plasm. As a result of this research, two scientific papers have been published by colleagues in Germany and Ecuador, in furtherance of SDG target?15.6 on promoting access to genetic resources and fair sharing of the benefits.

Under this initiative, 18?technicians from INABIO, selected based on gender equity criteria, attended training sessions on managing flora and fauna collections held in Brazil and Germany. A strategic plan, institutional financial sustainability mechanisms and a strategic communication plan were developed and implemented to strengthen INABIO. Furthermore, protocols were developed for the use and storage of biodiversity databases in Ecuador (SDG?targets?5.5, 12.a, 15.5, 17.6, 17.8, 17.16, 17.17).

Brazil, Ecuador and Germany have signed an agreement for future research, training and exchange of experiences in managing biodiversity knowledge, which has strengthened ties between them (SDG targets?12.a, 17.16, 17.17). The instruments developed under this initiative have set the standard to improve the actions and methodologies of INABIO and will serve to expand the institution’s capabilities in the short and medium-term.

The initiative was concluded in December?2019, with positive and encouraging results. Counterparts in Brazil and Germany are interested in continuing to participate in the efforts of INABIO and in working with additional partners in other countries through South-South and triangular cooperation. As a result, a new project entitled ‘Consolidation of Scientific Research for Strengthening Biodiversity Monitoring’ was proposed to the Regional Fund for Triangular Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean in November?2019. This new project has based its objectives on the results obtained from the initiative, which is evidence of its sustainability (SDG targets?12.a, 17.16, 17.17).

As a result of this initiative, tools were created to strengthen biodiversity research, including academic networks, protocols for the management and administration of INABIO zoological and botanical collections, and user manuals for the computer platform. Lastly, INABIO signed over 50?inter-institutional agreements during this initiative to create and strengthen research networks and increase scientific production.