A Legacy of Global Innovation

The 1980s were a pivotal decade. After losing its institutional host in 1982, WAITRO endured thanks to the dedication of its leaders, who ran the Secretariat from their Stockholm apartment – unpaid but committed. Despite challenges, WAITRO expanded, launching publications, promoting collaborative R&D, and fostering cross-border innovation. One of the highlights of this decade was the African Fermented Foods Network, which upgraded labs in over 20 African countries and produced more than 40 PhDs, setting a benchmark for international collaboration in food science.

In the 1990s, WAITRO underwent major structural reforms. It launched Special Interest Groups to catalyze action on critical issues – from food technology to gender equality – and established Regional Focal Points (RFPs) to bring closer regional support to members. The association’s new structure facilitated twinning, technology transfer, and collective learning across continents. From 1987 till 2002, the WAITRO Secretariat was hosted by Jutland Technological Institute (JTI) which later on became the Danish Technological institute (DTI).

In 2002, for the first time, the Secretariat was hosted in the Global South by SIRIM Berhad in Malaysia. Backed by the Malaysian government, this era saw increased South-South collaboration, stronger engagement in EU-funded projects, and a focus on poverty alleviation and women’s empowerment. The 2000s also brought a new visual identity, enhanced communications, and capacity-building programs like the Senior Management Program for RTOs and the LABNET Portal with UNIDO.

This decade marked WAITRO’s transformation into a digitally connected, innovation-driven network. A renewed strategy focused on “solving grand societal challenges” through multidisciplinary, member-led collaboration. In 2019, WAITRO took a bold step: for the first time, the Secretariat was co-hosted by two world-class member institutions: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany) and JITRI (China). Fraunhofer launched SAIRA, WAITRO’s Open Innovation Hub, allowing members and partners to connect and co-create projects for sustainable development.

WAITRO celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2020. Not merely a milestone, it was a testament to five decades of persistence, partnership, and purpose. As contributors noted, “If WAITRO hadn’t been founded in 1970, we would have had to invent it today.” The celebrations reflected the community’s gratitude to the visionary leaders and institutions that had shaped WAITRO’s journey.