Key seminar in Mexico brings together academics on bamboo

Participants learned firsthand about bamboo’s potential as a material for sustainability, technological innovation and community development.

The Second International Seminar of the International Network of Universities and Research Centers on Bamboo (RIUCI) was held at the Azcapotzalco and Xochimilco campuses of the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM) in Mexico. The event brought together researchers, professors and students from across Latin America and the Caribbean, consolidating RIUCI as a key platform for academic and scientific cooperation on bamboo-related topics.

RIUCI was established in 2022, with financial support from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and implemented by INBAR in partnership with strategic allies in the region. Currently, it includes 54 member institutions that promote research, innovation and technical training on bamboo as a sustainable resource and a tool for local development.

The seminar hosted over 30 presentations showcasing research progress and innovations on bamboo utilization, with participants from Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica, Cuba and others. During the presentation sessions, students, professors and researchers actively engaged in learning firsthand about the potential of bamboo as a material for sustainability, technological innovation and community development. The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Yadira Zavala Osorio, Rector of UAM Azcapotzalco; Dr. Francisco Javier Soria López, UAM Xochimilco; and Mr. Pablo Jácome Estrella, INBAR’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean and Coordinator of the RIUCI Steering Group.

As part of the program, eight hands-on technology transfer workshops were conducted during which experts shared knowledge on the diverse applications of bamboo. The sessions covered topics such as bamboo shoot production, dome construction, preservation using the Boucherie method and sustainable building systems. These workshops fostered dialogue between students, educators and professionals interested in the technical applications and value addition in bamboo products. Many of these sessions were supported by Bambuterra, a bamboo construction company.

In parallel, the Meeting of RIUCI Delegates was held to review progress and challenges of the 2024–2025 Work Plan. Among the highlighted initiatives was the launch of the First International Bamboo Chair, led by the Technological University of Pereira (Colombia), which is aimed at training professionals in bamboo-based design, management and sustainable construction. Currently, 47 students from member institutions are enrolled in this program.

The meeting also highlighted academic collaboration between São Paulo State University (UNESP, Brazil) and INIFAP (Mexico), focused on extension, research and training activities, as well as the RIUCI–Bamboo Peru Workshop, where Peruvian universities strengthened national coordination of projects and research related to bamboo.

The delegates’ meeting took place within the framework of the capacity-building component for researchers under the project Promoting Bamboo as a Nature-Based Solution for Livelihood Development and Environmental Management for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean, an initiative under the ARAUCLIMA Programme of AECID, currently implemented by INBAR.

The Second International Seminar of RIUCI reaffirmed the commitment of universities and research centers in the region to knowledge generation, innovation and collaboration to promote the sustainable use of bamboo as a nature-based solution and a pathway toward sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean.