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Scientific research and technological development, reliable information and timely scientific knowledge are necessary and crucial elements to successfully address and overcome the main environmental, economic, social and political problems of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

The Central American Higher University Council (CSUCA), in its last two strategic plans (PIRESC IV and PIRESC V), has included the Research, Science, Technology and Innovation program, whose objective is to develop regional research capacities and contribute to the joint study of the main problems of the region, with territoriality, risk, local development; economic growth, productivity, competitiveness and sustainable development; digital transformation, automation, artificial intelligence and data science; climate change and environmental management being some of the priorities. .

The project “Strengthening inclusive science and innovation systems in Latin America through a collaborative research network”; funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and coordinated by CSUCA, aims to promote regional scientific exchange and collaboration, and invites the development, in its first phase, of 16 projects aimed at generating new knowledge that contributes to strengthening the research-innovation-inclusion nexus.

Currently, the first call for proposals of the regional project is underway, strengthening the development of 16 collaborative research networks, which are in their second and third quarters of implementation. The objectives of these projects are geared towards promoting joint work between universities, governments, multilateral bodies, companies, entrepreneurs, community groups, as well as adding value to scientific collaboration within the Central American region, allowing its results to be translated into processes of economic, social and environmental development. 

The 16 projects underway in this first phase are:

1. 
    Utilizing carao, teosinte and mangosteen for the development of functional foods as a food and nutritional security strategy for Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
2.  Local territorial development for equitable and sustainable economic growth in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama.
3.  Towards SMART and Sustainable Water Management in Central American Communities, through Innovative and Inclusive Research and Education (SMART-S Water Management) (Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico).
4.  Strengthening environmental skills in communities through technological and methodological innovation to promote resilience in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change in the canton of Heredia, Costa Rica, the district of Almirante, Bocas del Toro, Panama and the indigenous Achí community of Rabinal in the department of Baja Verapaz, Guatemala (COPAGUAR).
5.  Multicenter validation of an Artificial Intelligence application, developed by Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, for the identification of intestinal parasites.
6.  Central American Consortium for High-Performance Computing for Socio-environmental Applications: towards the inclusion of women and indigenous groups in science in the region (Cocecar). (Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama).
7.  Consortium for the development of innovative and inclusive research on problems related to climate change and renewable energies in Central America and the Dominican Republic. (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, Colombia and Spain).
8.  Strengthening risk management in agri-food systems that contributes to food and nutritional security to address climate variability in the dry corridor of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras 2023-2024.
   9. Equity in a just transition. Promoting the participation of the Central American region in the IPCC reports “Central American Network on Climate Change (RC4)”. (Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama)
9.  Implementation of a data science-supported research network that empowers and inspires women to develop capacities to contribute to biodiversity conservation (Redbioma). (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico).
10.  Consolidation of the Central American Network of Innovation and Research for Fair Access to Housing and the Understanding of Metropolitan Architectures. Horizontal, inclusive and collaborative dialogues between Metropolitan Areas of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico (RCAII –AJH -AM).
11.  Tools for the defense of the territory of indigenous communities in Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala.
12.  Technological Innovation, Social Inclusion and Environmental Management for the identification of variables of sustainable community development in Central America. (Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama).
13.  Consolidation of the Central American Network for Critical Extension Research (RECIEC), Stage II. (Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama).
14.  Strengthening the economic conditions of indigenous women in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador within the framework of the second Sustainable Development Goal: Zero Hunger.
15.  Traditional Ecological Knowledge for Food and Nutritional Security: Innovation and Conservation. (Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua).

The projects are expected to identify challenges or needs of the various vulnerable groups or sectors in the Central American region over the course of 22 months and provide responses that will improve inclusive innovation and gender equality, while also supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and regional policies.