Núcleo de estudos-Online

Center for Studies in Organic Agriculture -
NEAGRO
Núcleo de Estudos
Person in Charge:
Professor Luís Cláudio Paterno Silveira
lcpsilveira@den.ufla.br
Institutional Information:
http://www.den.ufla.br/index.php/nucleos-estudo/85-
neagro
neagronaufla@gmail.com
Background:
NEAGRO was founded in 2002 as an initiative of
students and professors of the UFLA Department
of Agriculture interested in providing consultancy
services to the community related to organic
agriculture. Its statutes were presented to the Office of
the Dean for Extension in 2003. The founding members
were Professors Luiz Antônio Gomes and Élberis P.
Botrel, plus seven undergraduate students. Since its
inception, it has organized several annual editions
of the “Cycle of Lectures in Organic Agriculture,”
the last one in 2014. In addition, several extension
and research projects in various areas have already
been developed, such as: phytotechnical aspects of
organically grown lettuce and tomato; rural extension
with emphasis on entomology; family farming and
gender issues; environmental education in schools;
popularization of science; and urban agriculture
and biological control. NEAGRO participates actively
in the community vegetable garden of the COHAB
neighborhood in Lavras, where several projects
have been developed in recent years, some of them
funded by state and federal development agencies:
agroecological management in urban horticulture
systems; growing of medicinal, aromatic and spice
plants; inclusion of elementary school students in
organic agriculture and agroecology, among others.
These projects have also generated booklets, extended
essays, dissertations and reports.
Overall Objectives:
To bring together professionals, students and professors
who are interested and/or engaged in activities related
to the study of insects. To support the training and
learning of members in areas of knowledge related to
entomology. To organize technical-scientific events.
Areas of Expertise:
1. Organic Agriculture: Study of organic, agroecological,
natural, biodynamic, family and other systems,
ranging from alternative to conventional.
2. Agricultural Entomology: Study of pest management
with low impact techniques, adapted to family farming,
and biological pest control.
3. Environmental Education: Organization of
environmental education projects with different
emphases, especially in public schools in Lavras and
surrounding region.
4. Rural Extension: Improvement of communication
between academia and society, building knowledge
with urban farmers.
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