Scientific Knowledge Regarding Natural Resources in Latin America: Conditioning Factors and Strategic Challenges for the Region

Abstract

There is a worldwide trend towards growth in scientific production in different disciplines. Notable progress of individual countries in Latin America in scientific development is recognised worldwide. However, it is necessary to understand how this scientific knowledge is generated and what are the underlying factors shaping the understanding of local natural resources. Scientific knowledge related to natural resources is a crucial issue for a region that contains the highest proportion of the rural population, almost half of the world’s tropical forests and a quarter of the world’s potentially arable land. Not only the availability of natural resources but also their governance reinforces the need for an independent scientific structure. We argue that funding (allocation and provenance), institutional priorities, international cooperation and unequal representation of gender bias or direct the scientific knowledge and researches in our region. This paper summarises some evidence of different realities and ways of knowledge production according to (1) the autonomy (i.e. funding, human resources and local institutions) in scientific research, (2) collaborations networks with foreign researchers and (3) the role of women in Latin American science. We discuss the relevance of an autonomous, participative and collaborative scientific development in Latin American countries.