Cerrado Expedition celebrates 15 years of integration in agribusiness

In 2026, the Cerrado Expedition will reach its 15th edition, consolidating its position as the largest and longest-running student expedition focused on the agricultural sector in Brazil. Led by the Agricultural Experimentation Group (GEA) at Esalq/USP, the initiative promotes technical immersion in the Brazilian Cerrado, bringing together academics, professionals, and companies for hands-on field experience.

The GEA was created in 1992 by Professor José Laércio Favarin, with the goal of offering students practical agricultural experience while still at university. With the motto "knowledge, dedication, and work," the group studies major crops on 24 hectares of experimental land at Esalq, applying theories learned in the classroom to practice.

Journey through the Cerrado

The Cerrado Expedition, organized by students and sponsored by private companies, stems from students' interest in learning about different production realities in Brazil. The itinerary includes visits to rural properties, cooperatives, research centers, and companies involved in the production chain. The focus is to provide a comprehensive overview of the sector, covering cultivation technologies, mechanization, sustainable management, logistics, and grain marketing.

In addition to technical visits, participants experience regional diversity, strengthening their academic training through practical experiences and direct exchanges with producers and researchers.

The 2026 edition will take place between January and February, focusing on the states of Mato Grosso, Goiás, and Mato Grosso do Sul, strategic regions for the production of the country's main agricultural crops. Students will travel more than 6.500 km, visiting cities such as Sinop, Sorriso, Lucas do Rio Verde, Nova Mutum, Sapezal, Pontes e Lacerda, Cuiabá, and Campo Grande, on a 21-day itinerary.

"The idea of ​​the visits is to create a conversation circle with the producer to discuss property management, combining classroom theory with field practice," explains Vitor Ferrari Sia, one of the Expedition coordinators and a member of the GEA.

For 15 years, the Cerrado Expedition has reaffirmed its role in training more prepared and aware professionals, inspiring new generations to transform knowledge into practice and to value the Cerrado as Brazil's agricultural heritage.