RURAL EXTENSION INSPIRED BY CARLOS BRANDÃO

The training of ATER agents in ESALQ’s/USP agricultural sciences courses

Abstract

This article aims to present a vision of Rural Extension and the role of extension workers according to which they must, first and foremost, commit themselves to the well-being of family farmers and environmental protection. This is done through a critical analysis of the Rural Extension discipline taught in the Agricultural Sciences courses at the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ/USP). Prof. Carlos Rodrigues Brandão, in his works, defended respect and care for local populations to the detriment of environmental destruction driven by profit. We hoped that the reflections proposed in this text will inspire the training of extensionists to have Prof. Brandão as a professional performance role model, especially with regard to his attentive look at traditional populations and his work with the Base Education Movement (MEB) and the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT).