Ciência, tecnologia e sociedade: visões sobre transformações da pesquisa agrícola no Brasil

Abstract

The present work aims at reflecting upon the future of agricultural research in Brazil, having as a background numerous changes that are taking place in the organization of such sector. It is based on a qualitative methodological strategy, the data survey being carried out by means of semistructured interviews. The interviewees were people linked to the agricultural sector in the State of Santa Catarina, namely, researchers, extension activity personnel, directors of research companies and rural extension, representatives of producers associations, former state secretaries of agriculture, government advisors, amongst others. From the analysis of the interview contents, the main issues raised are related to the role of the State, the participation of the producers in the definition of research goals and policies, the interests of private initiative, and the uprising of the figure of a "new researcher". Such issues reveal new demands from the society, urging the conception of new research models, which, on the one side, are tuned with those demands, and on the other side, promote a more critical integration of the agricultural research and the logic of the economy globalization.