UGA IIPA Professor Selected for Fulbright Specialist Award to Advance Vertical Farming in Brazil
 Guest speaker Dr. Ferrarezi presents to students and faculty of the Postgraduate Program in Agricultural Engineering (PPGEA) during his invited lecture at the State University of Goiás (UEG) as part of the Fulbright Specialist Program at the University of Goiás (UFG). |
Watch Dr. Ferrarezi’s YouTube Short about his Fulbright experience. |
Dr. Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi, Professor of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Crop Physiology and Production in the Department of Horticulture at UGA, and a Plant Center and IIPA member, has been selected for a Fulbright Specialist Program award to complete an agricultural exchange project at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) in Goiânia, Brazil. As a U.S. Department of State initiative funded by the U.S. Government and administered by World Learning, the Fulbright Specialist Program offers U.S. academics and established professionals a unique opportunity to engage in two- to six-week, project-based exchanges at institutions worldwide.
Centered on “Food Security for Arid Regions”, this collaborative initiative adapts CEA technologies such as shipping containers to thrive in resource-scarce environments. Submitted through UFG by Dr. Marcio Mesquita, this project was awarded a highly competitive grant with only 10 proposals approved. Dr. Ferrarezi was selected to perform the project by the Fulbright , and will drive sustainable innovation by working closely with Dr. Mesquita’s Sustainable Irrigation research group. He will provide direct mentorship by co-advising two master’s students from Dr. Mesquita’s program, Maria Lucia Jaime and Jeffer Andrey Quintero. By actively engaging with UFG’s School of Agronomy and local experts, Dr. Ferrarezi aims to expand the project’s multidisciplinary impact.
The core objectives of the specialist exchange include:
- Needs Assessment: Conducting a comprehensive evaluation of current agricultural practices in the region to identify the most suitable and economically viable CEA technologies.
- Education and Training: Providing a series of targeted workshops and training sessions on the principles of greenhouse and vertical farming and about UGA and the Ferrarezi Lab for UFG and UEG faculty, students, staff, and local farmers.
- Infrastructure Development: Assisting in the hands-on design and implementation of a vertical farming system in collaboration with local research partners.
By sharing expertise in precision agriculture and CEA, the initiative aims to enhance global food security, improve water use efficiency, and promote climate-resilient farming systems. The program will also serve to strengthen international institutional linkages between UGA and the UFG. This partnership is expected to drive future curriculum development, initiate joint grant proposals, and lay the groundwork for ongoing student and faculty exchange programs.