The institute, along with a few other research centres, play a crucial role in safeguarding Colombia's species inventory. Botero-Colombia Impressions from the author's field work in Colombia during her time at the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute (Source: Carolina Angel Botero)ĭuring my time as a doctoral intern at the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute (Humboldt Institute) at the Social Sciences office, I witnessed their dedication to documenting the nation's diversity. However, while the Colombia Bio expeditions brought immense opportunities for scientific exploration, this movement inadvertently risked erasing the rich histories and life stories woven into these lands over decades. ![]() Their presence in these regions served as tangible evidence that the peace agreement was having a real impact on the ground, making once volatile territories safe for scientific exploration. They were portrayed as explorers venturing into areas that were once forbidden due to the dangers posed by armed conflicts. They represented hope for a nation weary from decades of conflict, showing that the end of hostilities could lead to exciting opportunities for the development of a new Colombia. The expedition members were not just scientists gathering data they were pioneers forging paths of peace. ![]() Led by teams of dedicated biologists, their mission extended far beyond scientific exploration. Scientific research marked a crucial chapter in this journey. With the promise of the discovery "of new drugs, medicines, biofertilisers and pollution tackling products", the first step in the program was to gather as much genetic information as possible for future developments. This captivating project garnered significant resources from international funding and governments, most notably from the British government, which invested millions of pounds. When the program was launched, it was said that the end of the conflict did not only grant access to previously forbidden areas, but also unlocked the potential to tap into Colombia's vast biodiversity, concealed during more than six decades of war. Minciencias carried out this assessment in 2022, acknowledging the biological expeditions as a fundamental pillar in the transformation of Colombia's future bioeconomy. Additionally, the identification of 206 potential new species for science and 200 endemic species (unique to Colombia) has been accomplished", a stated in a 2022 report by the Ministry of Science (Minciencias). "With continuous support for the development of 48 BIO scientific expeditions in 75% of the country's departments, the generation of 500,486 biodiversity records in the public information system (SiB) has been achieved. Armed with laboratory equipment, formalin, tweezers, binoculars, alcohol, and notebooks, teams of biologists set out to explore previously forbidden regions to register Colombia’s biodiversity. ![]() They offered a promising opportunity to finance peace and shape a new nation. The Colombia Bio expeditions were launched just four days after the FARC peace process was signed with the Colombian government in 2016. Peace treaty with FARC: the Colombia Bio Expeditions
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