Multi-user equipment approved in grant 2021/10573-4: LI-6800P-2 portable photosynthesis system

• Grant number: 25/14370-1
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2032
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri
• Grantee: Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Piracicaba
• Associated research grant: 21/10573-4 - Center for Carbon Research in Tropical Agriculture (CCARBON), AP.CEPID

Abstract

Brazil is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of food, feed, fiber and (bio)fuel. Estimates indicated that the country would need to increase food production in 40% to meet global demands by 2050. Meanwhile, tropical agricultural systems have to be important allies to sequester carbon (C) and reduce greenhouse gases emission, and consequently, contribute to mitigating climate changes. Therefore, the challenge is to increase agricultural production reconciling environmental, social and economic sustainability. In this context, we propose the creation of the Center for Carbon Research in Tropical Agriculture (CCARBON), hosted at ESALQ/USP, one of the most respected Agricultural Colleges worldwide. The CCARBON mission will be to develop innovative solutions and strategies on carbon-based sustainable tropical agriculture to mitigate climate change and improve living standards and conditions. Our vision is to be recognized as a world-class leader center on low-C tropical agriculture and qualification of human resources through research, innovation, and dissemination activities. To achieve the CCARBON goals, strategic, multidisciplinary and innovative research lines will cover five major areas: soil, plant and animal, gases, climate and digital tools. The center will also be embedded into a large innovation ecosystem to support discoveries and new technologies through institutional-public-private partnerships. We designed multiple strategies to actively disseminate the knowledge and innovations, contributing to farmers and stakeholders to adopt more sustainable practices, as well as creating low-C public awareness, and supporting the elaboration of the public policies. We expected our world-class research center will identify the main challenges and develop and implement solutions to increase sustainable agri-food production of tropical agrosystems, reducing GHG emissions and increasing C sequestration through climate-smart management practices. The outcomes will pave the way towards a low-C economy and promote sustainable social development in the coming decades. (AU)