GAFFFF 2025: The Future of Agribusiness Begins with Education
Publicado em 12/06/2025
Divulgação
Leticia Jacintho, President of DONME, alongside Prof. Dr. Tejon
Published on June 6th,2025
Broadcasted by Radio Eldorado Estadão-Brazil
Translated by Teacher Francisco Barbosa Bardhal
*José Luiz Tejon
I’m attending the Global Agribusiness Forum, GAFFFF 2025, a massive event at Allianz Park Stadium in the S.Paulo State capital, where I will participate in a panel on Industry and Academia.
During this panel, Leticia Jacintho delivered a spectacular presentation about her work involving private and public initiatives, universities, and schools through the project " De Olho no Material Escolar" (DONME), which stands for "Keeping an Eye on School Supplies".
Her talk made it clear that if we don’t focus on education in early childhood and elementary school, later stages, including university, become much more challenging.
I asked her to summarize the presentation and share her feelings about the event. She responded: “It’s a pleasure to be here with you and taking part in this panel, and I'd say it’s crucial to bear in mind: "What is the role of the productive sector in Brazilian education? That’s exactly what we addressed.
So, we must bring together academia, research centers, and businesses to prepare people who can boost our productivity, strengthen our country, and deliver a much larger GDP. We must enhance our crop yields, expand agribusiness ventures, and nurture innovative thinkers.
"De Olho no Material Escolar" project has been highly effective in this mission, bringing children into hands-on learning experiences, collaborating with major publishers to integrate Brazilian agribusiness into educational materials in a more scientific way, and, most importantly, driving changes in educational legislation in Brasília, DC.
We are undertaking significant technical efforts to ensure that, within the next decade, Education Law effectively prepares outstanding teachers, fosters student learning, and eradicates school violence. Our goal is to enhance performance in Mathematics, Portuguese, Science, and other subjects, enabling our country to prosper alongside the productive sector and all we´re striving to achieve here.
I then asked her about her observations regarding teachers, parents, and students, based on her nationwide experiences, and she replied: “What I often see nowadays is parents outsourcing many parental responsibilities to the teachers. These teachers handle 30 students in the morning and another 30 in the afternoon, sometimes even moving between classrooms, while caring for the youngest children. That’s too many kids and also a lot of responsibility.
In the past, teachers concentrated exclusively on subjects like Portuguese, Math, and Science. Today, however, they are also responsible for imparting essential life skills to children. Simultaneously, they possess significant opportunities to shape their students' futures. Outstanding teachers remain etched in our memories for a lifetime.
That’s the kind of teachers we need, those with a more humanized approach, who receive support during their training so they don’t have to juggle nighttime distance learning (EAD) with daytime work. So, we assist them in their ongoing professional development and help them assess whether students truly learn and apply new skills. We must reward these teachers because they're the ones who drive real change in our society.”
And I concluded: "That’s true, Leticia. Conscious Agribusiness, this Agri-awareness, sustainability, and environmental care depend on the new generation. 2025 marks the beginning of Generation Beta, which aligns perfectly with the "De Olho no Material Escolar’ project."
Congratulations to Ms. Leticia Jacintho, esteemed President of the "De Olho no Material Escolar Association".
I asked her to leave a message for Radio Eldorado / Estadão – Agriconscient Show, and she concluded: "We all share the responsibility for education. If we desire change, we can't simply sit back and wait. We need to roll up our sleeves and declare, 'We´ll make it happen! Civil society can accomplish this in a responsible, technical, and professional way."
So, join us at the "De Olho no Material Escolar Association". Find us on all social media platforms and our website: https://deolhonomaterialescolar.com.br/.
Come, learn more and be part of this major project to improve Brazilian Education.
*Prof. Dr. José Luiz Tejon – PhD in Education Universidad de La Empresa/Uruguay. Academic Director Brazil+Tropical Belt Nations at International Agribusiness MBA Audencia France & Fecap Brazil. Master's degree in Art Education and History of Culture - Mackenzie University. Journalist and Publicist - Harvard, MIT and PACE/USA/Insead in France. Specialization Academic Coordinator of Master's Science Food & Agribusiness Management at Audencia in Nantes/France, and FECAP/Brazil. Managing Partner at Biomarketing and TCA International. Professional Head at Agri Anefac. Writer, author and co-author of 37 books. Agri Personality Award 2023/ABAG -100 Most Influential People in Agribusiness. Former director of Grupo Estadão, Agriceres and Jacto S/A. 2025 Award Agriworld Group.
