The cooperation with FAPESP ((São Paulo State Research Foundation) will focus on improving agricultural production in Brazil, with investments of almost € 6 million over the next ten years.
The agreement is the first to be signed by the foundation and aims to develop biological solutions that control pests and diseases in different agricultural crops. A call for research proposals has been planned in the coming months and the creation of an Applied Research Centre for Biological Control, within the scope of the Program for Support of Research in Partnership for Technological Innovation of FAPESP. The agreement will also promote the development of a model for biological control appropriate to the characteristics of Brazilian agriculture.
FAPESP's scientific director, Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz, says this is an essential topic for agriculture in the State of São Paulo. ‘The agreement with Koppert allows FAPESP to create opportunities for the research community in São Paulo, in universities and research institutes, to join the company to discover new knowledge and applications in the area of biological control.’
Currently, Koppert Brazil has ongoing research with predatory mites, nematodes, parasitoids and different microorganisms for pest and disease control. ‘We only publish research done in collaboration with universities, since much of what we produce internally has a technical edge to generate field results,’ says Danilo Scacalossi Pedrazzoli, Koppert's industrial director. ‘The agreement will bring rapid return on the development of knowledge focused on sustainable solutions in tropical agriculture.’
About FAPESP
Founded in 1962, the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP) is among the most important science and technology development agencies in Brazil. Maintained by the transfer of 1% of tax revenues in the State of São Paulo, FAPESP selects and supports research in all areas of knowledge, proposed by scientists linked to higher education and research institutions in the State of São Paulo. FAPESP also supports research in strategic areas for the country and is crucial for the advancement of world science, through programs related to major themes such as global climate change, bioenergy and biodiversity, and has programs to support research on innovation.