INTA specialists participated in the creation of the first college degree in Latin America of electronic engineering with specialization in agricultural applications at the National University of Moreno, Buenos Aires. The training program lasts five years and aims at training professionals so they can work in the development of technologies for enhancing the agribusiness sector.
"Currently, engineering is a key factor within the state's policies to create an industrialization model based on import substitution," said Andres Moltoni, head of the Laboratory of Electronic Engineering of INTA's Rural Institute.
According to him, most universities offer general training in electronic engineering, which neglects the problems of the agricultural and regional economies. Hence, and due to the limited availability of qualified technicians, the profile of the new career prioritizes design technologies for production processes.
"The agricultural applications course aims at training engineers so they can understand the needs and potential of the agribusiness sector so they can generate electronic devices that improve production processes, quality and storage of agricultural production and contribute to the growth of regional economies," he said.
Meanwhile, Gerardo Masia, coordinator of Research and Development at the Institute for Rural Engineering and a teacher of the new career, stressed the value of INTA working together with universities, because "this will help construct formal education alternatives that will help meet the demands of agribusiness, expand the supply of technological products of national origin and solve new local demands."
Strategic value
Moltoni stressed the importance of encouraging the development of national technologies, because these can replace imports and generate jobs. He also stated that the equipment designed locally had the advantage of adjusting to the country's specific reality and, as they were not imported, would have lower costs and become more accessible to producers.
Besides teaching how to develop precision farming devices like performance monitors and computers for spray, the course provides students with tools to create new technologies related to agricultural meteorology, livestock accuracy satellite tracking, traceability, beekeeping and pig raising, among others.
The career is named in electronics engineering with specialization in agricultural applications and is taught at the National University of Moreno, which also has a laboratory to boost research in agro-electronics. The career is composed of eleven theoretical and theoretical-practical courses that can be seen between the first and fifth year.
Source: intainforma.inta.gov.ar