Unicamp Press has just released the book "New Paradigms for Sustainability and Food Security" – which proposes a broad and in-depth discussion about agricultural production in the face of environmental issues and the climate crisis.
Organized by professors Luís Augusto Barbosa Cortez, from the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering (Feagri), and Sergio Luiz Monteiro Salles-Filho, from the Department of Science and Technology Policy (DPCT) of the Institute of Geosciences (IG) at Unicamp, the book was written by members of the Innovagro Network – an international collaboration platform whose main focus is to promote innovation and sustainability in agri-food systems, with collaborators from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and Spain.
Printed in Portuguese and with a Spanish version, the publication addresses the agricultural practices of these countries and seeks to show perspectives and trends in the area of sustainability and food security.
Antônio José de Almeida Meirelles, who was rector of Unicamp between 2021 and 2025, wrote the preface. According to Meirelles, the publication is set against the backdrop of two of the greatest challenges facing contemporary society, the tackling of which is included among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). "These are the fight against climate change, the theme of SDG 13, and the elimination of the profound inequalities that exist in the access of different populations to food, expressed by SDG 2."
The former rector also co-authored the article "The role of Unicamp in agriculture, innovation and sustainability" with Professor Roberto Donato da Silva Júnior.
In addition to environmental issues and the climate crisis, the book addresses the socioeconomic objectives of agriculture, covering topics such as the importance of scientific knowledge in promoting adaptability and productivity.
According to Cortez, one of the book's intentions is internationalization, as it covers an important topic for all of Latin America. “Brazil is, today, the major global player when it comes to agriculture. We feed almost 800 million people, but we have problems in our agriculture, especially in family farming. We still need to learn from these countries. And the book deals a lot with that: the experience they have with the mechanisms of family farming,” he reveals.
According to the rector of Unicamp, Professor Paulo Cesar Montagner – who attended the book launch ceremony – the publication is important because it points to paths for the region's development. "The book shows that research work is not confined to graphs or static studies. It is transformed into knowledge," he assesses.
The representative of the Editorial Board of the Unicamp Press, Professor Marco Aurélio Cremasco, said that the work gains strength from its theme and the timing of its launch, which coincides with the COP 30 conference in Brazil. "It is a multifaceted work that demonstrates the success of the Unicamp Press's editorial policy, bringing the University closer to Latin America," he stated.
The book launch took place on Monday morning (10), in the Videoconference Room of the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering (Feagri).
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