ENVIRONMENTAL PROSPECTIVE STUDY WITH A STRATEGIC VIEWPOINT OF FOREST RESEARCH IN SIX LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

Here is described a prospective study carried out in six countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Venezuela) by professional talents with expertice and integrated into multidisciplinary and interinstitutional groups, in order to observe, with a greater scope, the vulnerability phenomenon of natural resources of the region, in the major institutions and organisms focused on forest, agriculture and game science and technology of their countries. The present and future importance of several emergent and present-day topics were analyzed in a tendential scenario, in regard to environment and natural resources, and the question of which is the present dominion degree that institutions, development organizations and non-government organisms have about the necessary knowledge to make progress on research and innovation in this fields. The main tool was a survey previously designed and proved with 13 topics of the environmental universe, to be applied to the experts of the region by the Delphi method; such method favors the opinion of the group over that of the individual, it is anonymous and reduces risks. In addition, a forum was made in which participants identified a series of strategic actions that must be taken into account by the institutions focused on science and technology of natural resources involved in agriculture, forestry and game in their agenda.