O ensino em agricultura de precisão nos cursos de agronomia das Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) brasileiras

Abstract

Precision agriculture has proven to be an important tool for achieving high levels of productivity, food security and sustainability. However, the literature demonstrates a slow and heterogeneous adoption of it, mainly due to the lack of knowledge and understanding about the techniques precision agriculture and the marked lack of qualified individuals in the subject. Thus, with higher education institutions being the main trainers of technically qualified professionals, the present study aimed to conduct a survey the agronomy courses of Brazilian Higher Education Institutions, on the approach and structuring of teaching and research in the area of precision agriculture. For this, an exploratory, qualitative and non-probabilistic research was carried out, through the sending of a virtual questionnaire. The data regarding the country's agronomy courses were extracted from the public platform and MEC. After obtaining the answered questionnaires, the data were tabulated and submitted to descriptive statistics. Percentage graphs were drawn up for each question, by region and at national level. The study had the participation of 162 higher agronomy courses in Brazil, corresponding to 58.1% of the country's total courses. The results showed that more than half of the courses deal with the theme of precision agriculture as "part of another discipline", mainly in disciplines belonging to the areas of geoprocessing, topography and remote sensing. The South and Southeast regions stood out in the supply of precision agriculture as a "mandatory discipline". Meanwhile, the Midwest and North regions stood out in the precision agriculture approach as "optional discipline". The professors who teach the subject in Brazilian agronomy courses do not necessarily have specialization in the area, and gained access to the subject during teacher training. GPS is the main tool available to assist activities involving the theme. Consequently, the research developed by the institutions is mainly in the area of georeferenced management of soil and plant attributes. In short, this study is the first research on the approach and structuring of higher agronomy courses in Higher Education Institutions in Brazil, on precision agriculture; therefore, it can be used as a reference for future studies that will be developed. In addition, the importance of knowledge about the approach to precision agriculture in the country's courses is highlighted, dissemination and success in the agricultural system. Finally, we highlight the need for the inclusion of precision agriculture disciplines in the curriculum of agronomy courses in Brazil, to promote the necessary professional training and meeting social and economic demands by specialized labor in the area.