Lack of researchers paralyzes research at IAC

The Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC), an international reference in research for food production, has suspended studies in several areas due to a lack of researchers and staff. A survey conducted by the Association of Scientific Researchers of the State of São Paulo (APqC) shows that lines for improving vegetables, triticale, chickpeas, mangoes, cocoa, wheat, oats, barley, castor beans, sunflowers, peanuts and even rice have been halted. The laboratory for analyzing the quality of cotton fiber and other species has also been affected. 

Since 2003, no new researchers have been hired to work at the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply (SAA). The last competition, held last year, provided for only 37 research positions, but to date there have been no calls for applications. As a result, the department has 746 vacant positions compared to 448 filled, according to figures published in the Official Gazette in April of this year. When considering the five research support careers, the number of vacant positions jumps to 4.539, while 1.069 are filled. 

"In addition to interrupting studies in areas essential to food security, which is extremely serious, there is another loss that is difficult to measure. When a researcher retires without having anyone to pass on the knowledge acquired, there is a blackout in science, because decades of experience are lost," laments Helena Dutra Lutgens, president of APqC.  

The IAC was created by Dom Pedro II, still in the Brazilian Empire, in 1887, and in 1892 it was transferred to the administration of the Government of São Paulo. Over the last 137 years, it has contributed to the transformation of the State, and even the country, into an agricultural powerhouse, with advances ranging from the sugar-energy sector to improvements in grains, including one of the largest coffee germplasm banks in the world. 

“In the health sector, science denialism has very recently led to the resurgence of diseases that were considered controlled in Brazil. In agriculture, the same denialism may not appear immediately, but the losses caused by this dismantling of the research structure weaken the response time, in addition to putting the State's leadership in different areas at risk,” comments Lutgens. 

In addition to the lack of investment, the IAC faces a new threat. Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), who was elected with the support of agribusiness, ordered a survey to map areas dedicated to research and conservation that could be put up for sale. The governor himself confirmed the intention during a visit to the Campinas region. 

One of the areas is the Santa Elisa Farm, which belongs to the IAC and is located in the urban area of ​​the city. According to a complaint filed by APqC, the São Paulo State Land Institute (Itesp), at the request of the State, carried out a mapping exercise to divide seven hectares of the area, which contains part of the coffee germplasm bank, with accessions considered rare or extinct in their habitat, in addition to studies on macaúba, which is emerging as an alternative for the production of biofuels. 

“This logic of selling research areas to raise money is a contradiction. Firstly, because the money from the sale will soon run out, while scientific research, based on the knowledge generated, adds value to products, generating much more revenue for the state’s economy over the decades,” argues Lutgens. 

According to APqC, today, approximately 90% of coffee research, for example, carried out by IAC at Fazenda Santa Elisa is financed by the Coffee Economy Defense Fund (Funcafé), of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), through agreements with the Coffee Research Consortium, coordinated by Embrapa. There are also contributions from the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Fapesp), other development institutions and the private sector. In fact, the maintenance of the germplasm bank is done entirely with extra-budgetary resources from these sources, since there are no budgetary resources of the State for this purpose. 

Against sale 

Different sectors of society have united against the State's intention to sell areas dedicated to research, such as the Santa Elisa Farm. The Agriculture Federation of the State of São Paulo (Faesp) sent a letter to Governor Tarcísio de Freitas asking the Government not to sell the IAC area. 

At the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo (Alesp), deputies requested information from SAA about the intention to map and divide up research areas. A motion against the sale was also approved by the City Council of Campinas. 

Dozens of entities and leaders also created a petition requesting that the research areas be preserved.