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Chacras System is a program of the Argentine Association of Direct Sowing Producers (Aapresid) created to develop sustainable solutions that meet the specific demands of agricultural producers in a territory.
To achieve this, each of the 16 projects led by the Program in different regions of the country integrates the vision of producers, science and technology of companies under the slogan “learning by producing”, that is, with your feet on the land and on real production scenarios. From Chaco to Patagonia, the projects address issues such as added value, management of water surpluses, diversification of rotations, recovery and improvement of soil fertility.
One of the strengths of the Program is human resources training: each Chacra assigns – and invests – in a professional, mostly Agr. Engineer, to lead the project and specialize, doing a postgraduate degree in the central theme of the Chacra.
As of today, the Program has 9 professionals trained or in the process of postgraduate training On issues related to the Chacras, 3 of them became part of the permanent Staff at Aapresid.
Alejo ruiz, a young man from Rosario and Ing. Agr. graduated from Faculty of Agrarian Sciences – UNR in 2015 is one of them, and he tells us about his experience.
Professional growth and opportunities
Alejo grew up in the country: “I always liked biology and being in contact with nature”, He assures. Tempted by the broad job prospects of the career, the decision to study Agronomy was a fact.
At Aapresid he started as an intern with Thomas Coyos, today the Manager of the Chacras System, who quickly integrated him into the group’s tasks. Some time later, Justiniano Posse (Córdoba) became involved as Technical Manager of Farm Development until 2019, when he became Zonal Technical Coordinator, being in charge of another 4 projects.
One of the strengths of the Chacras proposal is learn in contact with real production systems and with the needs of the producer. In this sense, Ruiz considers that the experience provided him with research tools: “I learned how to design an experiment, run it in the field with the producer’s technology, analyze the data and interpret the results”; but fundamentally it served him learn from producers, understand how they work and how they deal with problems. Alejo puts in value “The importance of applied research, the one that helps the producer when making a decision ”.
While carrying out his work, he had the support of the Program to simultaneously carry out a master’s degree in Management and Conservation of Natural Resources where he deepened in the nitrogen fertilization in corn in environments with nappa in the southeast of Córdoba.
Learnings that go beyond the professional
Moving to Justinian Possession It was a great personal challenge, he confesses, more than anything to be far from the affections. But the links with the members of the Chacra and the recreational and sports activities in the area made the enriching experience, who enjoyed quality of life. “It was the best and most complete ´agronomic residence´ that I could have done after receiving me”, he assures.
This experience propels him today towards new horizons. Alejo is doing a PhD in Iowa State University in the research group of Integrated Crop Production Systems (Integrated Cropping Systems Lab).
Ruiz’s experience is proof of this “bring science to the field “: make Agronomists leave the laboratories and greenhouses to get in touch with the reality of the producers.
This allows not only “strengthen the link between the institution and researchers and ensure the results that producers need”As Ruiz emphasizes, but train professionals with empathy, capable of understanding producers, their needs, their way of seeing and doing things, valuing the human dimension for the collective construction of knowledge.
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