Fundação MT, Esalq/USP and Fealq come together to bring knowledge and professionalization to national agriculture

In an unprecedented initiative, with the aim of disseminating knowledge, promoting professionalization in agribusiness and the development of research in the sector, the Mato Grosso Agricultural Research Support Foundation (Fundação MT), the University of São Paulo (USP), for through the Luiz de Queiroz Higher School of Agriculture (Esalq/USP) and the Luiz de Queiroz Agricultural Studies Foundation (Fealq), signed a protocol of intentions on the 12th, in Piracicaba/SP. The partnership will develop actions between the institutions to increase staff training in strategic areas. Representatives of the three entities were present on the occasion.

The CEO of Fundação MT, Francisco José Soares Neto, sees the signing of the document as a milestone. “Esalq has been a reference for many years within Brazilian agriculture. For us, it is an honor to start this partnership that will complement our activities. We have been working for agriculture in Mato Grosso, the Central-West and throughout Brazil for almost 30 years. But what was a bottleneck when we started is no longer the case today, the obstacles are different, especially when we talk about people, education, knowledge and labor”, he highlights.

The aim of the entities is that together they can promote extension activities, such as technical-academic events, training and technical visits, internships for undergraduate students, exchanges of postgraduate students, researchers and specialists. “Considering the importance of agricultural activity in our country, it is essential that we are concerned with the training of personnel so that they can use new technologies and transform knowledge into wealth, whether academically or through university extension”, highlighted the director of Esalq , Durval Dourado Neto.

According to the director, as time passes, values ​​are updated, such as digital agriculture, biotechnology, biological control and the use of biofertilizers. “All of this requires constant training of professionals. This document will bring development to our region and also to Esalq and Fealq, at high levels of technology”, points out Dourado Neto.

Everyone wins

For the president of Fealq, Nelson Massola, the agreement with the MT Foundation is a historic milestone. “This initiative fits with the desires of Esalq and Fealq and establishes a link between the foundations, aligned with the purpose of employing agribusiness knowledge and meeting the need to always put more food on Brazilians’ plates.”

At Esalq, professor José Baldin Pinheiro, from the Genetics department, will be responsible for the actions to be developed. He also spoke about the partnership, “which intends to develop activities in a broad way and the intention is to bring the expertise of Fundação MT (as it is on the front line with farmers) to Esalq and meet the demand they present for professional training” .

Soon, the institutions will announce the next steps of the initiative.