News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 23-Dec-2025 08:11 ET (23-Dec-2025 13:11 GMT/UTC)

8-Aug-2023

Sustainable Cocoa Innovation Challenge for Colombia: Supporting innovation in the cocoa value chain for forest conservation and peacebuilding

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Grant and Award Announcement

Are you an innovator working on a solution that is applicable to the cocoa value chain in Colombia? Apply to the Sustainable Cocoa Innovation Challenge powered by CGIAR and Rockstart.

8-Aug-2023

Co-infection by novel species of parasite is confirmed in visceral leishmaniasis patient

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Genome sequencing of clinical samples from a child hospitalized in Aracaju, the capital of Sergipe state (Brazil), revealed the simultaneous presence of the protozoan Leishmania infantum and an as-yet unnamed parasite belonging to the genus Crithidia, identified earlier in a fatal case of visceral leishmaniasis in the same region.

Journal

International Journal of Infectious Diseases

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

7-Aug-2023

More work needed to unlock mysteries of Asia’s bees

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Although the collapse of hives of European honey bees (Apis mellifera) has gained worldwide attention in recent years, there are massive gaps in knowledge of other bee species, particularly in the Asian region, which contains over half the world’s human population and where food security (in which bees play a key role) remains a major challenge.

Journal

Biological Conservation

3-Aug-2023

Three out of every ten meals ordered from the main food delivery app in Brazil come from dark kitchens

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Noting that dark kitchens featured frequently in local news outlets owing to rows with neighbors over noise, smells and biker traffic around homes in the vicinity, the researchers also found health and safety issues to be problematic.

Journal

Food Research International

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

2-Aug-2023

Researchers map cadmium in cacao: “The problem isn’t as bad as we thought”

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Cadmium naturally occurs in the soil of much of Latin America's cacao farms, and is absorbed by the plants. With EU regulations restricting the amount of cadmium allowed in chocolate imports, it is important for farmers to know where they can grow cacao that is fit for the global market. Researchers have compiled a map that aims to address this challenge.

Journal

Science of The Total Environment

2-Aug-2023

Substitution of tolerant for sensitive species balances ecosystems in agricultural areas, study says

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Research conducted in manipulated sugarcane plots showed that small water bodies such as ponds and puddles can contribute to sustainable farming even with environmentally hostile. practices

Journal

Journal of Applied Ecology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

1-Aug-2023

Amazon dark earth boosts tree growth as much as sixfold

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Brazilian scientists analyzed the typical soil composition resulting from native management with the aim of developing biotech applications for more effective restoration of degraded areas.

Journal

Frontiers in Soil Science

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

31-Jul-2023

Luzio, who lived in São Paulo 10,000 years ago, was Amerindian like Indigenous people now, DNA reveals

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Luzio, who lived in São Paulo 10,000 years ago, was Amerindian like Indigenous people now, DNA reveals An investigation covering four different parts of Brazil carried out analysis of genomic data from 34 fossils, including larger skeletons and the famous mounds of shells and fishbones built on the coast, and revealed differences between communities. An article on the study is published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Journal

Nature Ecology & Evolution

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

31-Jul-2023

Study proposes refinement of models to project ecosystem services in montane forests

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Modeling projections depend on the installation of networks specific to these areas in Brazil and the Andes, where the available data falls far short of what is needed.

Journal

Plant Ecology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

26-Jul-2023

Research with Brazilian participation is first to create models of bovine embryos

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The results pave the way for breeding of cattle with selected traits. Preliminary work findings for human embryo models recently published by international groups could contribute to the understanding of congenital defects and early pregnancy loss.

Journal

Cell Stem Cell

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo