SolloAgro, from Esalq-USP, celebrates 25 years

More than 4.700 enrollments in distance specialization courses, around 1200 enrollments in on-site courses, in addition to more than 5 students in short-term training: this is the sum of SolloAgro, a continuing education program of the Department of Soil Science at Luiz de Queiroz Higher School of Agriculture (Esalq/USP). Created in 1988 with the Soil Management course, in Piracicaba, since then it has passed through 26 cities, passing through the state of SP and other states, such as PR, MS, MA, BA, MT, GO, MG, RO, TO. In South America, the program also included courses in Paraguay, in Ciudad del Este and Minga Guazu.

According to the program's creator, professor Luís Reynaldo Ferracciú Alleoni, SolloAgro was created to meet the demand of front-line professionals in agricultural production who seek updating and improvement, but who are not available for a formal postgraduate degree. “The objective is to offer continuing education in sustainability, allowing these professionals to acquire new knowledge without compromising their full-time work. Furthermore, the project aims to train undergraduate students to translate scientific texts into language accessible to the productive sector, making academic knowledge more understandable for those without in-depth training in the scientific area”.

Most of SolloAgro's audience has a degree in Agricultural Engineering or related areas. Currently, the program promotes courses, training and events in all areas of agribusiness, with an emphasis on Soils, Nutrition and Plant Fertilization. “We carry in our DNA the tradition of more than 120 years of Esalq to disseminate quality knowledge about agribusiness and train professionals who make a difference in the Brazilian and global agribusiness scenario”, adds Alleoni.

Format – SolloAgro courses are offered in person, prioritizing close contact between students and teachers in different cities, but the online format has gained strength in recent years. “The online format allows you to attend classes, take tests and do homework conveniently, with lower costs. With the pandemic, there was a migration to online courses due to the improvement in the quality of classes and the platform, allowing new students from various regions, including international ones, to participate in distance courses”.

In Professor Alleoni's opinion, SolloAgro boosts agriculture by offering updated techniques, allowing an increase in productivity without expanding cultivated areas. “This includes optimizing inputs for pest control and fertilizers, maintaining productivity without harming the environment. The program meets agricultural demands, from seed selection to the efficient use of resources such as water and fertilizers, promoting sustainable production”, he concludes.

In addition to the courses, SolloAgro also works to disseminate free knowledge, promoting webinars, online panels, podcasts, newsletters, quizzes and content posts. There are almost 40 live events broadcast, which total more than 100 thousand registrations and 70 thousand views on YouTube. The visual identity was recently redesigned, marking the program's 25 years of existence.