Seminar Discusses Education for Agroecology in Various Sectors

For agroecological practices to gain strength as an alternative to the current agricultural model, agroecology must expand its presence in Brazil formal and informal education. This was the idea that motivated the seminar Dialogues on Education in Agroecology, which will be held on September 16, from 9 am to 5 pm at the IEA’s Events Room. The meeting is organized by the Working Group on Agroecology, of the IEA’s Research Group on Philosophy, History and Sociology of Science and Technology.

The discussion of concepts and practices related to education for agroecology will involve representatives from various sectors: universities, social movements, and non-governmental and rural organizations.

Iara Fonseca, member of the Working Group on Agroecology and organizer of the meeting, explains that the choice of speakers tried to take into account the different experiences of each one with agroecological practices, establishing a dialogue between the various kinds of knowledge.

The speakers will be:

• Psychologist Beatriz Stamato, professor of Agroecology at the State University of Paraíba;
• Forest engineer Fernando Silveira Franco, coordinator of the agronomy course with emphasis on agroecology and sustainable rural systems at São Carlos Federal University;
• Militant of Paraná’s Landless Movement Mirelle Gonçalves, member of the educational board of the Latin American School of Agroecology;
• Peasant Rosiéle Cristiane Ludtke, who works on the services provided by the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (ATER);
• UNICAMP professor Sônia Maria Bergamasco, former advisor to the Ministry of Agrarian Development;
• Agronomist Valdemar Arl, consultant and founding member of the Ecovida Agroecology Network.

They will discuss the areas where agroecological education can now be found, the methodology used, the pedagogical foundations, the political orientation and the various contributions to the subject.

Currently, instruction on agroecology education takes place in formal education (technical, undergraduate and graduate courses), in informal education (courses provided by social movements, cooperatives and associations) and in rural extension work driven by agroecological principles (ATER’s services).