Informativo

PPGAGC professors take part in the launch of the FOUNDATIONAL International Cooperation project

Last Thursday (20/02), the professors of the Postgraduate Program in Agroecology, Heitor Teixeira and Raphael Fernandes, took part in the meeting to launch the work of the project TransFOrming rUral laNDscApes and communiTIes thrOugh NAture-based soLutions: integrating biodiversity conservation and human well-being across social-ecological contexts (FOUNDATIONAL) via videoconference.

FOUNDATIONAL is an international cooperation project involving researchers from institutions in four countries: UFV in Brazil (Heitor Teixeira, Irene Cardoso and Raphael Fernandes), the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) in France (Adrien Rusch and Brice Giffard), Stellenbosch University in South Africa (Karin Jacobs) and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands (Joana Falcão, Kees van Veen and Pablo Tittonell).

The project is an initiative of the Biodiversa+ platform (European Biodiversity Partnership), with co-funding from Fapemig and, in Brazil, will be coordinated by Professor Heitor Teixeira.

The aim of this international effort is to integrate global efforts to transform rural landscapes and communities through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). The project seeks to promote biodiversity conservation and human well-being in different socio-ecological contexts, with studies focused on diverse agricultural systems in Brazil, vineyards in France and wheat production in South Africa. One of the highlights of the approved proposal is the use of participatory methodologies such as agroecological exchanges and adult games to actively involve farmers throughout the development of the project. The results are expected to contribute to the development of public policies and management strategies that promote the sustainability and resilience of rural communities.